The Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee is expected to vote as early as Friday on the primary calendar for the 2028 presidential election. According to two sources familiar with the process, the panel will meet in Washington to determine the sequence in which states will hold their nominating contests. Any decision made by the committee must receive final approval from the full Democratic National Committee, which is scheduled to meet in August.
The committee has reviewed presentations from 12 states seeking early positions on the schedule. These include Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. The selection process follows a shift in the party's strategy aimed at prioritizing states with higher racial diversity. This change was implemented after technical issues during the 2020 Iowa caucuses led to reporting delays.
For the 2024 cycle, the Democratic party moved South Carolina to the first-in-the-nation position, replacing the traditional lead roles held by Iowa and New Hampshire. South Carolina Democratic leaders are currently campaigning to retain this top spot. They argue that the state’s demographic makeup—which includes a 25% Black and 9% Hispanic population—effectively represents the coalitions necessary for a successful presidential campaign.