Democratic Party reorganizes 2028 primary calendar with South Carolina first

The Democratic National Committee has changed the order of its 2028 presidential primary contests. South Carolina will now vote first, on January 22, 2028. Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia will follow through late February. Iowa, which traditionally held the first contest for decades, has lost that position. Party leaders chose these six states because they include large Black and Latino populations. About 25 percent of South Carolina's population is Black. Nevada and New Mexico have large Latino communities. DNC Chair Ken Martin said candidates must win support from voters across different regions and backgrounds. The new calendar will give Black and Latino voters more influence over who becomes the Democratic nominee.