Social media is playing a greater role than ever in this year’s elections: 38 percent of people using the technology say that information on Facebook will influence their voting decisions as much as traditional sources will this year.

Just 61 percent of participants in a survey of 2,361 adults by Harris Interactive said they expect candidates to have a presence on social media, yet 88 percent of social media users in the U.S. are registered voters.

via 3 In 5 Expect Candidates To Be On Facebook [Graphic].

Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., and Michael D. McCurry, co-chairmen of the non-partisan, non-profit Commission on Presidential Debates (“CPD”) today announced sites and dates for three presidential and one vice presidential debates during the 2012 general election.  The dates and sites are:

First presidential debate: Wednesday, October 3

University of Denver, Denver, CO

Vice presidential debate: Thursday, October 11

Centre College, Danville, KY

Second presidential debate (town meeting format): Tuesday, October 16

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

Third presidential debate: Monday, October22

Lynn University, Boca Raton, FL

via CPD:.