The Democratic National Committee is weighing applications from at least six states — including New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina, Michigan, Iowa and Georgia — for the early 2028 presidential primary window, with Virginia and North Carolina also considering bids. The DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee will narrow applicants on Jan. 31 and invite finalists to present in spring, with a final calendar likely by summer 2026. Selection criteria include regional balance, racial and geographic diversity, affordability for smaller campaigns, and general-election competitiveness.
Battle for Influence: Which States Will Secure Early Spots in the Democrats' 2028 Primary?
At least six states have applied for a coveted place in the early nominating window for the 2028 Democratic presidential contest, launching a competitive scramble over who will shape the party's primary calendar.
The most frequently mentioned applicants are New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina and Michigan — all part of the early-state mix in 2024, though not in the order set by the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Iowa has applied in an effort to regain a role it lost four years ago, and Georgia has also filed. Virginia and North Carolina are seriously weighing applications ahead of the state-level deadline.
What’s At Stake
The order and composition of early primary states matter: they determine where campaigns invest staff and money, which voters shape the debate, and which states can influence candidate momentum heading into Super Tuesday. That is why state parties and governors are lobbying hard to be included — and why the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee (RBC) faces a politically sensitive decision.
“The day after the 2026 midterms, people are going to launch into action, so the window needs to be set,”
“It’s possible they not only start coming, but they could start putting staff on the ground the earliest we’ve ever seen.” — Jay Parmley, executive director, South Carolina Democratic Party
Process And Timeline
RBC members are expected to pare the list of applicants at their Jan. 31 meeting. Selected states will be invited to present to the committee in the spring, and the full DNC could vote on a final calendar at its August meeting — though DNC officials caution the timeline could slip later into 2026.
DNC leaders say they are starting the selection process from scratch and want representation from each of the four U.S. regions — with the possibility of including an extra state — before Super Tuesday. Criteria cited by members include racial and geographic diversity, affordability for smaller campaigns, and whether early states will be competitive in the 2028 general election.
Two Overlapping Fights
The competition is unfolding on two fronts. One set of states is trying to get into the early window at all (Iowa, Michigan and Georgia among them). Another set is aggressively vying for the influential first-place position (Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina).
Georgia faces an additional complication: Democratic leaders would likely need cooperation from Republican-controlled parts of state government to move the primary date if the state is chosen. Still, Georgia Democrats express confidence they could adjust the schedule if selected.
New Hampshire has emphasized it will not rely solely on tradition to defend a first-in-the-nation claim, while Nevada has been notably assertive in lobbying DNC members. South Carolina, elevated by President Biden in the previous cycle, is also pressing to keep a top early spot.
RBC co-chairs Jim Roosevelt and Minyon Moore said the committee is committed to a rigorous, efficient and fair process that will help produce the strongest Democratic nominee. The committee will begin formal consideration of state applications later this month.
Reporting note: Some participants spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private deliberations. Samuel Benson contributed to reporting for the original version of this article.
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