The Democratic National Committee (DNC) as finalized its 2028 presidential primary calendar, confirming South Carolina as the first state to vote — a decision that caps months of internal jockeying and reshapes the road to the White House once again.
Party members approved the new lineup on Saturday during the DNC’s summer meeting in Austin, Texas. Under the plan, South Carolina opens the calendar on Jan 22, 2028, followed by Nevada on Feb 1, New Hampshire on Feb 8, New Mexico on Feb 15, Michigan on February 22 and Virginia on Feb 29. All six contests will be wrapped up before Super Tuesday, scheduled for March 7.
DNC Chair Ken Martin cast the decision as bigger than a simple scheduling matter. He told members the calendar reflects the kind of party Democrats want to be and the coalition they need to win back the presidency. In comments on social media, Martin said the six states — spanning different regions and communities — represent the party’s roadmap back to the White House.
The 2028 lineup deliberately favours states with substantial Black, Latino and union-heavy electorates, continuing a pivot away from Iowa and New Hampshire, the traditionally first-voting states that are less demographically diverse than the party’s current base.
South Carolina’s position at the front of the line traces back to 2020, when a decisive primary win there helped rescue then-candidate Joe Biden’s campaign after disappointing finishes in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. As president, Biden pressed the DNC to formalise South Carolina’s status ahead of the 2024 cycle, and the party obliged — elevating the state over Iowa and New Hampshire for the first time in decades. New Hampshire officials pushed back at the time, holding an unsanctioned early primary in defiance of the DNC’s revised order.
This year’s process began with real uncertainty about whether South Carolina would keep its spot. Earlier in the year, DNC leadership signaled openness to reshuffling the calendar entirely, with Martin telling reporters the party wouldn’t simply “rubber stamp” the prior lineup. Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina all made competing pitches to the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee, which ultimately recommended South Carolina retain the top spot, citing the influence of Black voters as a reliable and pivotal Democratic constituency.
Not everyone is satisfied with the outcome. Iowa and New Hampshire officials have expressed disappointment at being pushed further down the calendar yet again, arguing the new order still sidelines large swings of the electorate. Some DNC members have also directed criticism at Martin over broader leadership decisions and the party’s fundraising performance heading into the midterms. Critics of the calendar more broadly contend it excludes major portions of the country and the voters Democrats will need to assemble a winning coalition in 2028.