Democrats will hold their 2028 presidential primary elections beginning on January 22, 2028, with South Carolina as the first state, followed by Nevada on February 1, New Mexico on February 8, Michigan on February 15 and Virginia on February 22, after the Democratic National Committee approved the new calendar at its meeting in Texas. The revised schedule replaces Iowa with South Carolina as the leadoff state, aiming to give Black and Latino voters and union members greater influence early in the process. DNC Chairman Ken Martin said that winning the general election requires candidates to be battle‑tested across diverse communities, a point he made in an interview after the vote. Several potential candidates have already visited South Carolina, and the new order obliges campaigns to build support in states where Black voters comprise a large portion of the electorate, where Latino voters are a key demographic, and where union households are influential. The six early states together represent 43 electoral college votes, a meaningful portion of the 270 needed for a presidential victory. While South Carolina has not been a swing state in recent general elections, the other five states have been competitive in the past, meaning candidates will need to invest time and money early. Campaigns are also looking to organized labor for voter outreach and turnout efforts.