Changes to the 2028 Democratic presidential primary calendar
Date: November 5, 2024  |
 Kamala Harris (D) Donald Trump (R) (won) Jill Stein (G) Chase Oliver (L) |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
The Democratic National Committee will conduct a process to select early Democratic primary states ahead of the 2028 presidential election. At an October 2025 meeting, the DNC said states wishing to hold primaries within the early window must apply by January 16, 2026. According to the committee, there will be four or five early primary states and all four regions of the United States (East, Midwest, South, and West) must be represented among the states.[1][2]
From the 2008 presidential election cycle to the 2020 presidential election cycle, the early Democratic primary states were Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina.[3]Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, the Democratic Party's Rules and Bylaws Committee approved a slate of early primary states on February 3, 2023.[4] South Carolina was selected to hold a February 3, 2024, primary, followed by New Hampshire and Nevada on February 6, Georgia on February 13, and Michigan on February 27. However, in some states, the state parties were unable to change their primary dates to match the DNC's calendar. South Carolina, Nevada, and Michigan were the only states that held Democratic primaries on the dates listed in the plan. Click here to read more about the changes to the 2024 Democratic presidential primary calendar in 2024.
Click the links below to navigate to:
- A timeline of events related to the early primary state selection process
- Changes to the 2024 Democratic presidential primary calendar
Timeline
- October 27, 2025
- August 26, 2025
The Democratic Party Rules and Bylaws Committee held its first meeting to begin to formalize the selection process for the 2028 early Democratic primary states.[5]
DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee resolution on selection process (October 2025)
The section below displays the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee resolution outlining the goals and procedures for the selection process, as approved in a meeting on October 27, 2025.[6]
Changes to the 2024 Democratic presidential primary calendar
The Democratic National Committee voted on February 4, 2023, to approve a proposal reordering the early presidential primary calendar.[7] South Carolina was selected to hold a February 3, 2024, primary, followed by New Hampshire and Nevada on February 6, Georgia on February 13, and Michigan on February 27. In 2020, the first four states to hold primaries were Iowa on February 3, New Hampshire on February 11, Nevada on February 22, then South Carolina on February 29.
In some states, the state Democratic parties were unable to change their primary dates to match the DNC's calendar. South Carolina, Nevada, and Michigan were the only states that held Democratic primaries on the dates listed in the plan. Iowa also held a compliant primary by holding a caucus to conduct party business on January 15, 2024, when the Iowa caucuses were scheduled, and holding a mail-in primary that ended on March 5. Georgia held its primary on March 12, after the early presidential primary window. New Hampshire Democrats participated in a non-compliant state-run primary on January 23, 2024. Initially, the DNC said New Hampshire would forfeit its delegates at the national convention due to the non-compliant primary date. The New Hampshire Democrats then held a small state-run primary on April 27, which the DNC found to be in compliance since it was after the early primary window and New Hampshire's delegates at the national convention were not penalized.
See also
- Presidential election, 2028
- Presidential candidates, 2028
- Changes to the 2024 Democratic presidential primary calendar
- Democratic presidential nomination, 2024
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Politico, "Democrats move forward with new 2028 calendar," October 27, 2025
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Associated Press, "Democrats set January deadline for states to apply for early 2028 primary contests," October 27, 2025
- ↑ The Center for Politics, "Democratic Calendar in Disarray: The Importance of the 2028 Presidential Primary Schedule," September 17, 2025
- ↑ USA Today, "Democrats approve 2024 primary calendar that demotes Iowa, boosts South Carolina," February 4, 2023
- ↑ Associated Press, "Democrats eye new presidential primary calendar in 2028, with South Carolina’s top spot in jeopardy," October 15, 2025
- ↑ DemRulz, "DNC RBC Adopts Early Primary Framework," November 17, 2025
- ↑ USA Today, "Democrats approve 2024 primary calendar that demotes Iowa, boosts South Carolina," February 4, 2024
