On September 26,2016, Lester Holt will moderate the first 2016 presidential debate at Hofstra University in New York. But only two candidates are invited to debate. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton are attending, but not Libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson and Green Party’s, Jill Stein.

Both Johnson and Stein met two of the three criteria they needed to run for president. They   both are eligible to serve as president of the United States and have achieved ballot access in enough states.

But the third criteria: reaching an average of 15 percent support in the national polls is beyond reach for both.

According to news site, mynews13.com, the poll average is based on five polls major TV networks, ABC-Washington Post, CBS-New York Times, CNN-Opinion Research, Fox News, and NBC-Wall Street Journal. Hillary Clinton is in the lead of  43 percent and Donald Trump with 40 percent in the polls. But Gary Johnson has 8.4 percent and Jill Stein with 3.2 percent. Gary Johnson running mate, Bill Weld and Jill Stein’s running mate,Ajamu Baraka, will also not be invited to the vice presidential debate taking place on October 4 at the Longwood University, Farmville, VA.

Both candidates reacted to not being invited. According to CNN Politics, Johnson said he wasn’t surprised by the decision to “exclude” him from the first debate. Also a statement Johnson said, “There are more polls and more debates, and we plan to be on the debate stage in October.”

From Jill Stein’s point of view, she said in a statement, that she plans to show up with “hundreds” of supporters outside the event. Also said, “We will be at the debate to insist that Americans not only have a right to vote, but we have a right to know who we can vote for.

  The first presidential debate is set for September 26th, 2016 with moderator, Lester Holt at  Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump at the stand.