Democrats set 2028 presidential primary calendar with South Carolina first and Iowa pushed back

Democrats have released a proposed 2028 presidential primary calendar that shifts the start of the nominating contest away from Iowa’s traditional early position, instead placing South Carolina at the front of the lineup and scheduling Nevada for early February, according to PBS NewsHour Politics.

Under the calendar described by PBS, South Carolina votes on Jan. 22, 2028, followed by Nevada on Feb. 1. The proposal is framed as giving key voting blocs, including Black and Latino voters and union members, an earlier opportunity to cast ballots in the process.

The calendar change has immediate practical effects for how campaigns allocate resources in the earliest weeks of the contest, including where they emphasize outreach, staffing, and policy messaging. Earlier states can also shape momentum and media coverage as contenders begin competing for pledged delegates before the primary season expands further.

By moving South Carolina into the leadoff spot and placing Nevada shortly afterward, Democrats are effectively adjusting the sequence in which voters across different regions participate. That, in turn, can influence which candidates are tested first on issues that resonate in early states and how quickly campaigns can refine their strategies based on early results.

The proposal also draws attention to long-running debates inside party politics about which states should be first and why, with Iowa historically holding an early place in the presidential nominating cycle. In the PBS account, Iowa’s position is described as being pushed back as part of the new arrangement.

While the calendar’s specifics determine when voters and state election administrators must be prepared to run contests, the broader nomination process still depends on state-by-state election laws and party rules. The timing also affects when national party organizations, campaigns, and major stakeholders plan events and communications during the early phase of the general election campaign.

If Democrats adopt the calendar as outlined, the party’s earliest contests for the 2028 nomination would begin with South Carolina in mid-January and continue with Nevada at the start of February, creating a compressed early window for campaigns seeking to build delegate strength before later primaries come into play.