Photo: Michael Reynolds

Debates have always been an important platform for candidates to articulate and narrate their stances on the issues of the era. Like any art, particular moments in the past have defined and redirected its present form. Here are a few of these defining, great debate moments that, despite their brevity in broadcast, have not been fleeting in political memory.

With help from the Google Plus team, and the participation of Governor Gary Johnson and Dr. Jill Stein, we hosted the first presidential debate aired entirely online. We brought two candidates, separated by distance, together to discuss issues largely ignored by the Republican and Democratic candidates. Steve Peace, co-founder of the Independent Voter Project, moderated the debate from San Diego, California.

Less than one month away from California's first full top two runoff election under its new open primary system, the Golden State's new method for electing its lawmakers has created a drastically different political landscape in California as its proponents promised.