Key facts
- South Carolina was officially chosen as the first state for the 2028 Democratic presidential primaries.
- The Democratic National Committee voted to approve the new primary calendar.
- Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia will follow South Carolina.
- The DNC aims for the calendar to test candidates and reflect party values.
- Former President Joe Biden had previously advocated for South Carolina to be the first primary state.
The Democratic National Committee has officially designated South Carolina as the inaugural state for the party's 2028 presidential primary elections. This decision, formalized at the DNC's summer meeting in Austin, Texas, follows a July vote by the organization's Rules & Bylaws Committee.
Following South Carolina, the approved calendar lists Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia as subsequent early voting states. The DNC stated that this arrangement is intended to allow for candidates to be thoroughly tested while maintaining an accessible field.
DNC Chair Ken Martin emphasized that the 2028 nominating calendar truly represents the party and its values, aiming to facilitate a return to the White House. Several individuals frequently mentioned as potential presidential candidates, including Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona, and California Governor Gavin Newsom, have recently visited South Carolina.
South Carolina and Nevada had engaged in a competition for the leading position, which became a proxy for the party's Black and Latino bases. In 2022, former President Joe Biden had successfully advocated for a change to the 2024 nominating calendar, placing South Carolina first. New Hampshire, which traditionally held the first primary spot, deviated from the national party's directive that year by adhering to its customary early date, though the DNC did not seat delegates from that state's primary.