US Democrats finalise major shakeup to 2028 presidential primary calendar - Al Jazeera

The Democratic National Committee approved a major overhaul to its 2028 presidential primary calendar during a meeting on Saturday, August 15, 2026, in Austin, Texas, as the party seeks to reclaim the White House.
South Carolina will again hold the party's first official nominating contest, with its Democratic primary set for January 22, 2028, displacing Iowa from its traditional leadoff position.
Nevada will vote second on February 1, followed by New Hampshire on February 8, with New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia rounding out the early states throughout that month.
The change formalizes a shift first introduced during the 2024 cycle, when the party initially placed South Carolina at the front of its lineup to give greater influence to more racially diverse states and better represent key constituencies.
Supporters, including DNC Chair Ken Martin, argue the arrangement makes the primary field more closely reflect the overall US population; South Carolina has a significant Black population, with roughly a quarter of the state identifying as Black according to census estimates.
Past calendar changes have sparked friction, including New Hampshire leaders defying the party in 2024 by holding an earlier state-run primary based on state law, and Iowa Democrats warning that a lower slot could alienate rural voters who often feel overlooked.