Democrats lock in 2028 primary calendar, keeping Iowa off leadoff slot

South Carolina and Nevada compete for first-in-the-nation slot

The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee is expected to finalize the party’s 2028 presidential nominating schedule on Friday, changing from previous calendars by keeping Iowa off the top of the lineup and giving greater influence to states with more diverse electorates, according to the Associated Press.

Either South Carolina or Nevada is expected to go first. Each state has aggressively campaigned for the position, the AP reported.

The committee’s decision will need approval from the full DNC, which is scheduled to meet in August.

MSI previously reported that the panel could vote on the order as early as this week. The committee is the party body responsible for the initial calendar recommendation.

“I think that it is good that we don’t take the order for granted, and just copy and paste it every cycle,” said New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive considered a potential 2028 candidate.

The overhaul reflects Democrats’ effort to give greater influence to states that better mirror the party’s diverse coalition, particularly Black and Latino voters, the Associated Press reported. Under the previous calendar, Iowa and New Hampshire held the earliest contests.

The calendar decision will shape the opening stage of what is expected to be a crowded Democratic presidential primary. Without an incumbent or clear frontrunner, the states that vote first could play an outsized role in determining which candidates gain momentum, attract donors and emerge as viable contenders, the AP reported.

Republicans still need to finalize their own calendar and are expected to stick with their traditional early-state lineup led by Iowa and New Hampshire, according to the AP.