DNC Rules Committee Votes to Put South Carolina First in 2028 Primary Calendar

On Friday, July 24, 2026, the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee voted to recommend South Carolina hold the first Democratic presidential nominating contest of the 2028 cycle, with Nevada voting second. New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia were also designated as early contest states under the recommended calendar. The vote continues a shift begun in the 2024 cycle away from Iowa and New Hampshire, which had traditionally opened the nominating process. The committee's recommendation reflects a prioritization of states with racially diverse electorates, including greater representation of Black and Latino voters, according to multiple reports. South Carolina has previously served as an early proving ground for candidates' support among Black voters, a factor cited in coverage of the decision. The vote by the rules committee sets up South Carolina to formally hold the leadoff primary contest in 2028, pending further procedural steps within the DNC. As of the reporting, the committee's action was a recommendation rather than a final, binding determination, though multiple outlets described South Carolina as being on the cusp of securing the first-in-the-nation position. Details on subsequent steps required for full ratification of the calendar, such as further DNC votes or state-level compliance actions, were not specified across the available reporting. The exact rationale discussions and any dissenting views within the committee were not detailed in the corroborated reporting.