DNC Rules Panel Proposes Six-State Early Window for 2028, Keeps South Carolina Ahead of Iowa

The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee has proposed a six-state early window for the 2028 presidential nominating calendar, beginning with South Carolina on Jan. 22, 2028, a move that would continue Democrats’ break from Iowa’s traditional first-in-the-nation role.

The order matters because the first contests in a presidential race shape where candidates travel, how they staff up, where they spend on ads, how much attention they get from media and donors, and whether they are seen as viable. Those early states can help define the field before most voters cast a ballot.

Under the proposal approved by the committee on July 24, 2026, the early window would be South Carolina on Jan. 22, Nevada on Feb. 1, New Hampshire on Feb. 8, New Mexico on Feb. 15, Michigan on Feb. 22 and Virginia on Feb. 29.

The plan is not yet final. It next goes to the full Democratic National Committee for a vote at the party’s summer meeting Aug. 13-15, 2026.

The Rules and Bylaws Committee, often called the RBC, said it issued waivers to those six states and amended a prior resolution so it could choose a sixth early-state contest. The party had previously anticipated selecting four or five states for the early window.

The six winners emerged from a pool of 12 states that had advanced earlier in the process: Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The states left out were Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee and North Carolina.

That list is notable especially because Iowa again did not make the cut. The proposal extends a shift Democrats began in the 2024 cycle, when the party moved South Carolina ahead of Iowa and broke with the long-standing early-state order.

The DNC has framed the new lineup as better reflecting the party’s coalition and called it the “most diverse open field early window in Democratic Party history.”

A likely flashpoint is New Hampshire, whose state law could collide with the proposed calendar. Under RSA 653:9, the secretary of state must set the presidential primary for the second Tuesday in March or at least seven days before any other similar election, whichever is earlier. That requirement has historically been used to preserve New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation status, potentially putting the state at odds with the DNC plan that places South Carolina first and New Hampshire third.

The DNC has already moved to stiffen the consequences for any state or candidate that breaks the sanctioned calendar. At a June 26, 2026, meeting, the RBC amended Rule 21 to allow penalties including a 100% loss of delegates for a noncompliant state, including automatic delegates; barring candidates who violate the rules from DNC debates or from earning delegates; and a $270,000 fine for a state hosting an unsanctioned contest.

In a DNC press release announcing the committee vote, RBC co-chairs Minyon Moore and James Roosevelt Jr. said: “The Rules and Bylaws Committee has proposed a rigorous, fair, and efficient calendar that will win Democrats back the White House in 2028. After months of hard work and deliberation, we are very proud of the calendar that the RBC has put forward — which is also the most diverse calendar Democrats have ever had for an open nominating contest. We look forward to presenting the proposal to our colleagues across the DNC for their approval in a few weeks.”

DNC Chair Ken Martin added: “I commend the RBC for their diligent work and commitment to a fair and transparent selection process. As a result of their hard work, today, Democrats took a critical step toward retaking the White House in 2028 by ensuring we have the strongest possible nominee.”

According to reporting cited in the research, Democratic leaders in Iowa and New Hampshire expressed displeasure after the committee vote.