Representatives from both WSU Young Democrats and College Republicans will debate about economics at 5 p.m. on Wednesday in the CUB’s Butch’s Den.

College Republicans President James Allsup and Vice President Jacob Hinen will face off against Young Democrats President Gavin Pielow and member Jacob Woodbury in the first of two debates, covering issues such as college debt, the state of the economy, tax policy and welfare, Allsup and Pielow said.

The two debates are sponsored by the Cougar Lobby Team, ASWSU, the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE), and both of the student political organizations, according to the event page.

The debates are part of a series of events put on by the CCE for their campaign “Cougs Vote.”

During the debates, student panelists will start by making opening statements, and then the moderator will facilitate the rest of the debate, according to a WSU News release. Questions from the audience will be invited.

Each debate will be 90 minutes long, Allsup said.

The second debate will be on Oct. 20 also in the Butch’s Den and will be livestreamed by the Center for Civic Engagement for Global Campus students to watch. The second debate will be about cultural and social issues, such as human rights and immigration.

“The second debate is definitely going to be more feisty,” Allsup said.

Pielow agrees, but also said he thinks that the first debate will bring up issues that more WSU students will find relatable, especially with the $1.3 trillion bubble around college debt.

“I know personally that James (Allsup) and I can have a civil discourse,” he said.

Both debates will relate to issues pertaining to the national election, which is Nov. 8.

A debate about the national presidential election between representatives of the College Republicans and Young Democrats took place in October of 2012 and discussed relevant issues to the 2012 election, according to a Oct. 1, 2012 WSU News release.

Editor’s note: This article has been revised to reflect that the national student debt is $1.3 trillion, not $1.3 billion.