Illinois and Eleven Other States Advance in Selection Process for Early 2028 Democratic Primary
Illinois and 11 other contenders have successfully advanced to the next round of the Democratic National Committee’s selection process to determine the early nominating calendar for the 2028 presidential election. On Saturday, the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee voted to move forward with applications from a field of 12 states: Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. This vote marks a significant step in the party’s ongoing effort to reshape its primary schedule to better reflect the diversity of its electorate.
The committee is tasked with narrowing this list down to a final group—likely four states representing different geographic regions, plus potentially one additional early state—later this year. The selection criteria emphasize logistical feasibility, demographic diversity, and the ability to run a fair and inclusive contest. For Illinois, state party Chair Lisa Hernandez has argued that the state serves as a “microcosm” of the nation, offering a blend of urban, suburban, and rural voters that provides a rigorous test for potential nominees.
This review process follows a historic shakeup in 2024, where the DNC, at the urging of President Joe Biden, displaced Iowa and New Hampshire from their traditional top spots in favor of South Carolina to elevate Black voters’ voices earlier in the process. While South Carolina, Nevada, Georgia, and Michigan were prioritized in the last cycle, the committee committed to reviewing the calendar every four years, opening the door for new entrants like Illinois and Minnesota, or a potential return for traditional states like Iowa.
However, the process faces significant hurdles and objections. Critics of moving the primary to larger states like Illinois or Michigan point to the exorbitant cost of campaigning in major media markets, arguing that it favors well-funded candidates over those relying on “retail politics” in smaller states like New Hampshire. Furthermore, logistical challenges remain a primary concern; in battleground states with Republican-controlled legislatures or governor’s offices—such as Georgia and New Hampshire—party officials often lack the authority to unilaterally set primary dates. This friction caused chaos in 2024 when New Hampshire defied the DNC schedule to comply with state law, leading to a largely symbolic unsanctioned contest. Traditionalists also argue that removing Iowa and New Hampshire permanently erodes a century of political tradition that engaged voters in unique, direct ways.
washingtonpost.com
wikipedia.org
meaww.com
cbsnews.com
wlds.com
frontloadinghq.com
