The numbers: The 2028 Democratic primary map has six early-window states, from South Carolina on January 22 to Virginia on February 29, 2028. The Democratic National Committee approved that order on August 15, 2026. The other 44 states and the District of Columbia vote in the national window that opens March 7, 2028, and most have not confirmed a date.
Data as of November 9, 2026; this page lists a date only when it is set by DNC rules and waivers or by state law, each with a dated source. Sources listed below.
What’s Set on the 2028 Democratic Primary Map
The 2028 Democratic primary map starts in South Carolina. At its summer meeting in Austin, the full DNC approved the Rules and Bylaws Committee’s slate of six early states, along with the 2028 Delegate Selection Rules and the Call for the 2028 Convention, according to the DNC announcement on August 15, 2026.
Under Rule 12 of the 2028 Delegate Selection Rules, no state may hold the first step of its presidential nominating process before the first Tuesday in March, which is March 7, 2028, or after the second Tuesday in June. The Rules and Bylaws Committee may grant a state a waiver to go before that window, and the six early states received those waivers. For both parties’ dates as they are announced, see the 2028 presidential primary calendar.
2028 Democratic Calendar Status by State: Full Table
| State | 2028 DNC status | Date or earliest allowed | State-law note | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Alaska | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Arizona | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Arkansas | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| California | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Colorado | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Connecticut | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Delaware | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| District of Columbia | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Florida | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Georgia | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Hawaii | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Idaho | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Illinois | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Indiana | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Iowa | Not in early window | March 7, 2028 | State party has not announced its 2028 plan | DNC Rule 12 |
| Kansas | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Kentucky | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Louisiana | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Maine | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Maryland | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Massachusetts | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Michigan | Early window, 5th | Feb. 22, 2028 | Matches state law (fourth Tuesday in February) | Mich. Comp. Laws 168.613a |
| Minnesota | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Mississippi | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Missouri | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Montana | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Nebraska | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Nevada | Early window, 2nd | Feb. 1, 2028 | Matches state law (first Tuesday in February) | Nev. Rev. Stat. 298.650 |
| New Hampshire | Early window, 3rd | Feb. 8, 2028 | Secretary of state sets the primary date under state law | N.H. RSA 653:9 |
| New Jersey | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| New Mexico | Early window, 4th | Feb. 15, 2028 | Waiver calls for state legislation to set the date | DNC Rule 12 waiver |
| New York | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| North Carolina | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| North Dakota | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Ohio | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Oklahoma | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Oregon | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Pennsylvania | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Rhode Island | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| South Carolina | Early window, 1st | Jan. 22, 2028 (Saturday) | State-run primary; date set by state party letter under the waiver | DNC Rule 12 waiver |
| South Dakota | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Tennessee | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Texas | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Utah | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Vermont | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Virginia | Early window, 6th | Feb. 29, 2028 | Waiver calls for state legislation to set the date | DNC Rule 12 waiver |
| Washington | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| West Virginia | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Wisconsin | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
| Wyoming | National window | March 7, 2028 | Not yet confirmed | DNC Rule 12 |
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“Not yet confirmed” means this page has not found a 2028 date set by the state party or confirmed by the state’s election office. Many states have standing laws on when a presidential primary is held, and legislatures can change them before a presidential year. Dates will be added as states confirm them, and the 2028 presidential primary calendar tracks confirmed dates for both parties. The District of Columbia, U.S. territories and Democrats Abroad also choose delegates; their contests are not shown on the map.
The Six Early-Window States
Each waiver is contingent. The Rules and Bylaws Committee report says a state party that does not meet its waiver’s conditions loses the early date and must vote in the regular window. The conditions, most due by September 15, 2026, differ by state:
- South Carolina (Jan. 22): A letter from the state party chair committing to the date for the state-run primary.
- Nevada (Feb. 1): A letter from the secretary of state affirming the date, which matches Nevada law, plus steps toward a law making the date apply only to the 2028 Democratic primary.
- New Hampshire (Feb. 8): Either a party-run plan or a letter from the secretary of state, who sets the date under RSA 653:9, plus steps toward changing the state’s primary-date law.
- New Mexico (Feb. 15): A letter from the governor and legislative leaders backing legislation to set the date.
- Michigan (Feb. 22): A letter from the secretary of state reaffirming the date, which matches Michigan law, plus steps toward changing that law for 2028.
- Virginia (Feb. 29): A letter from the governor and legislative leaders backing legislation to set the date.
- All six must also offer voter-file access to every bona fide Democratic presidential candidate for no more than $10,000.
The DNC’s early-window page lists all six dates. The DNC had not published a state-by-state record of which conditions were met as of November 9, 2026.
Iowa and the Rest of the States
Iowa is not in the 2028 Democratic early window. Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said after the committee vote that the party would “have more to say after November” about its 2028 path, Iowa Capital Dispatch reported on July 24, 2026. As of November 4, 2026, the Des Moines Register reported the state party’s 2028 caucus plans remained undecided. Under DNC rules, Iowa’s regular window opens March 7, 2028.
Every other state follows the same rule: its first step, whether a state-run primary, a party-run primary or a caucus, must fall between March 7 and the second Tuesday in June 2028.
Delegate Rules That Shape the Calendar
- 15% threshold: Delegates are allocated in proportion to the vote, and a candidate below 15% receives no delegates (Rule 14).
- Fixed threshold: A state plan that uses any threshold other than 15% faces a cut to its delegation (Rule 21).
- Calendar-year rule: Every step of delegate selection, except candidate filing, must take place in 2028 (Rule 12(B)).
- Delegate counts: The DNC’s allocation tables for each state are published with the Call for the 2028 Convention and are marked subject to change.
Penalties for Unsanctioned Early Contests
In June 2026, the Rules and Bylaws Committee amended Rule 21 to strengthen early-window penalties, according to a DNC release. Under the changes:
- A state that holds an unsanctioned early contest loses 100% of its delegates, up from 50%, including its automatic delegates.
- That state party also faces a $270,000 fine.
- Candidates must denounce efforts to campaign for them in an unsanctioned contest.
- A candidate who violates the early-window rules cannot earn delegates in any early-window contest and cannot take part in DNC debates.
How to Track the 2028 Democratic Calendar
- Watch the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee for any change to a state’s waiver status.
- Watch the New Mexico and Virginia legislatures for bills setting the February dates, and New Hampshire’s secretary of state for the primary date.
- Watch the Iowa Democratic Party for its decision on 2028 caucuses.
- Check the 2028 presidential primary calendar for confirmed dates for both parties, and the 2028 Republican primary calendar map for the other party’s order.
What This Map Does and Doesn’t Tell You
The map shows which states hold DNC-approved early contests and which vote in the national window. It does not show candidates, polling or who is favored. It also does not predict unset dates; a state shaded in the national window could vote any day from March 7 through the June deadline.
For the rest of the 2028 map series, see the 2028 Electoral College map, the 2028 swing-state map, the 2028 Senate map, the 2028 Senate open-seat map and the 2028 governor map.
2028 Democratic Primary Map Questions
Which state votes first in the 2028 Democratic primary? South Carolina, on Saturday, January 22, 2028, under the DNC’s approved early window.
What are the six early states? South Carolina (Jan. 22), Nevada (Feb. 1), New Hampshire (Feb. 8), New Mexico (Feb. 15), Michigan (Feb. 22) and Virginia (Feb. 29).
When can the other states vote? From the first Tuesday in March, March 7, 2028, through the second Tuesday in June.
Is Iowa holding a 2028 Democratic caucus? Iowa is not in the early window, and the Iowa Democratic Party had not announced its 2028 plan as of November 9, 2026.
How are Democratic delegates allocated? Proportionally, with a 15% threshold to win delegates, under Rule 14 of the 2028 Delegate Selection Rules.
Sources
- Democratic National Committee: DNC Votes to Officially Select Early States for 2028 Democratic Presidential Nominating Calendar (August 15, 2026)
- DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee report: 2028 Delegate Selection Rules, Call for the 2028 Convention and early-window waivers (August 15, 2026)
- Democratic National Committee: 2028 early window
- Democratic National Committee: Rules and Bylaws Committee votes to strengthen penalties for early-window violations (June 26, 2026)
- Nevada Revised Statutes 298.650: presidential preference primary date
- Michigan Compiled Laws 168.613a: statewide presidential primary date
- New Hampshire RSA 653:9: presidential primary election
- Iowa Capital Dispatch: Iowa Democrats say they’ll consider fate of ’28 caucuses after midterm elections (July 24, 2026)
- Des Moines Register: It’s time for the 2028 Iowa Caucuses to begin (November 4, 2026)
