Iowa and New Hampshire have indicated they may lead the way regardless of the DNC’s decision.
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As the Democratic National Committee considers the order of its 2028 presidential primary calendar ahead of what is expected to be a close race for the White House, it is prioritizing states that offer “rigorous, efficient and fair” nominating contests.
The DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee has begun the application process for states wishing to join the 2028 early nomination slot, emphasizing the need to create a system to promote strong candidates who can win the general election.
“The real question we face as we move forward with this process is why including states in an early window, pre-window period, helps elect a Democratic president and win elections,” committee member Stuart Appelbaum said at the Monday, Oct. 27 meeting. “That is the main criterion we consider when making decisions.”
The commission approved a resolution Oct. 27 inviting proposals from states that would like to hold presidential primaries or caucuses ahead of Super Tuesday. These states have until January 16, 2026 to submit their plans to the commission.
Iowa Democrats are still toying with preemption regardless of what the DNC decides. New Hampshire has indicated it will take similar action.
For years, the Democratic early voting field included four states: Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina.
But after the 2020 Iowa caucuses ended in disastrous results due to delays and inaccuracies in reporting, the DNC decided to rework the calendar.
Then-President Joe Biden recommended that South Carolina take the lead instead of Iowa, followed by New Hampshire, Nevada, Georgia and Michigan. The DNC approved the change but indicated it may reconsider the order ahead of the 2028 presidential election cycle.
This order is critical in setting the stage for the nomination process, especially as Democrats face a vast field of potential candidates who have already begun to spread out across the country and lay the early groundwork for a possible campaign.
Members of the Rules and Bylaws Committee approved a resolution at their Oct. 27 meeting that outlines three pillars to guide them in considering the state’s proposal.
- Rigor: “Early state lineups must be a comprehensive test of candidates with diverse voter groups that are key to winning the general election.”
- Fairness: “Initial state lineups must be affordable and viable for candidates and must not unduly deplete candidates’ resources or prevent them from effectively participating in future contests.”
- Efficiency: “Practical ability to plan and manage fair, transparent, and inclusive primaries and caucuses.”
Commissioners also emphasized the need for the state’s plan to be logistically feasible, both in terms of legislative approval and cost, “otherwise it’s just a waste of time,” Commissioner Elaine Kamarck said.
In 2024, the DNC approved moving Georgia to early voting slots. However, the Republican-led state did not move up its primary election date.
Committee leaders said they plan to invite some states to make presentations to the committee before considering the applications and selecting four or five states representing different regions of the country to make up the early voting slots.
Behind-the-scenes and public bargaining has already begun among states likely to compete for early voting slots.
Committee member and U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell of Michigan pushed back as members discussed a phrase in a resolution promoting retail politics that often cited the benefits of campaigning in small states.
“Retail politics won’t be a reality until October,” she said. “And we need to see how the candidates perform in the actual states, the early states.”
New Hampshire Commissioner Joanne Dowdell suggested that states also “need to demonstrate the ability to report election results in a timely manner,” which could hurt Iowa.
In a joint statement, committee co-chairs Mignon Moore and James Roosevelt Jr. said they are “committed to a fair and transparent process that delivers a veteran candidate who will restore the White House to the Democratic Party.”
“Today, RBC takes an important first step in charting our path to 2028,” they said.
Iowa, New Hampshire and other states consider approaches as 2028 debate progresses
In 2024, New Hampshire refused to accept the DNC’s official calendar mandate, and the state held the nation’s first unofficial primary ahead of South Carolina’s vote.
The DNC initially disqualified New Hampshire’s delegates from the national convention as punishment, but eventually reversed and reinstated the delegates.
The state once again signaled its intention to fight for a preemptive move.
In a message posted on social media, Dowdell said New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan met privately with new members of the Rules and Bylaws Committee ahead of the meeting and “made the case for why we need to be the first in the nation.”
The draft resolution adopted by the Rules and Bylaws Committee on October 27 includes reference to “severe penalties” for parties and candidates who do not comply with the agreed timetable.
But Iowa state leaders have indicated that the penalty will not apply to New Hampshire in 2024 and should not interfere with Iowa’s decision on how to proceed in 2028.
In August, Iowa Democratic Party Chairwoman Rita Hart released a survey asking rank-and-file Democrats about the timing of their caucuses and whether they felt it was important to follow the national party calendar.
If the Iowa Democratic Party is not selected to serve on the committee for early voting slots, holding a “rogue” non-recognition caucus is one option being considered.
The findings will be compiled into a report for the Iowa Democratic Party State Central Committee meeting in December.
“I am disappointed that the DNC has already set back the promise of an open and democratic process by forcing a vote on this proposal,” Hart said in a statement. “No matter what false timelines the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee tries to set for this process, I remain committed to continuing family conversations about the Iowa caucus process with members of the state central committee, my campaign, and Democrats in the state.”
He said “all options are on the table” as the party considers where to go next.
In 2024, the Iowa Democratic Party converted its longstanding in-person caucuses into completely absent mail-in caucuses.
The Iowa Democratic Party met in person only to conduct business on the same day the Iowa Republican Party held its first caucus in the nation, but announced its caucus results on Super Tuesday in March 2024.
State party leaders had hoped that complying with the DNC’s rules in 2024 would ingratiate themselves with the national Democratic Party and open the door to new negotiations over their place on the 2028 calendar.
But Scott Brennan, a longtime member of Iowa’s Rules and Bylaws Committee, was not reappointed to the influential committee, which could signal Iowa’s influence is declining.
On the Republican side, there have been no substantive discussions about changing the nomination calendar. Iowa Republicans are once again leading the process, with New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina expected to follow.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief political reporter for the Des Moines Register. She writes about campaigns, elections, and the Iowa caucuses. Contact us at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her at @brianneDMR on X.
