The 2028 presidential primaries are scheduled to begin in January 2028. On the Democratic side, the party’s approved calendar opens with South Carolina on January 22, followed by Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia in February. Republicans voted in January 2026 to keep their traditional order, starting with the Iowa caucuses, then New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, though exact Republican dates hadn’t been set as of September 2026. Super Tuesday falls on March 7, 2028.
Dates can still shift as state legislatures act, and at least one state’s law conflicts with the Democratic plan. Here’s the calendar so far and the rules behind it.
The 2028 Democratic primary calendar #
The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee chose the early states in July 2026, and the full DNC approved the calendar on August 15, 2026.
| Date (2028) | State | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January 22 | South Carolina | First contest, as in 2024 |
| February 1 | Nevada | |
| February 8 | New Hampshire | State law requires New Hampshire to go first |
| February 15 | New Mexico | New to the early window |
| February 22 | Michigan | |
| February 29 | Virginia | New to the early window |
| March 7 | Super Tuesday | First Tuesday in March |
Iowa, which led the Democratic calendar for decades, isn’t in the early window. Iowa Democrats have threatened to hold their own early contest, and New Hampshire’s law requires its primary to come before any similar contest. In 2024, New Hampshire held an unsanctioned primary ahead of the DNC’s calendar, and a repeat is possible.
The 2028 Republican primary calendar #
The Republican National Committee voted in January 2026 to keep the same early lineup as past cycles:
- Iowa caucuses, expected to remain first.
- New Hampshire primary.
- Nevada.
- South Carolina, the first Southern primary.
Specific Republican dates depend partly on state laws and on where Democrats’ contests land, and they hadn’t been announced as of September 2026. Recent cycles put the Iowa caucuses in mid-January.
Why do the two parties’ calendars differ? #
The DNC reshaped its calendar starting in 2024 to open in a state with a more diverse electorate than Iowa or New Hampshire, which is why South Carolina now goes first. Iowa’s caucus problems in 2020, when results were delayed for days, added to the push. The RNC saw no reason to change and kept its traditional order.
Parties control their own nomination rules, but states write the laws setting primary dates. When the two conflict, the party’s main penalty is taking away delegates from a state that votes too early. We explain the history of that tug-of-war in what front-loading is in presidential primaries.
What happens after the early states? #
Super Tuesday, March 7, 2028. The largest single day of voting, when many states hold primaries at once and a big share of delegates is awarded. Campaigns that can’t compete in several expensive states at the same time often end here.
The spring contests. The remaining states vote through spring, usually wrapping up in early June. If no candidate has clinched by Super Tuesday, these contests decide the delegate race.
The conventions. Each party formally nominates its ticket at a national convention in summer 2028. If no one arrives with a majority of delegates, the result is a contested convention, explained in what happens in a contested convention.
How are 2028 delegates won? #
Winning a state’s vote matters for momentum, but nominations are decided by delegates.
- Democrats award delegates proportionally to candidates who clear 15% of the vote, statewide or in a district. That makes quick knockouts hard. Superdelegates, the party officials who aren’t bound by primary results, can’t vote on the first convention ballot unless the outcome is already settled; see how superdelegates work.
- Republicans let states choose their method within national rules. States voting before March 15 must allocate proportionally; after that, states can use winner-take-all, which can end a race quickly.
Our guide to how pledged delegates are allocated goes through the thresholds.
Who can vote in the 2028 primaries? #
That depends on your state. Closed primaries allow only registered party members; open primaries let any registered voter choose a party’s ballot; semi-closed primaries let unaffiliated voters pick one. Some states use caucuses instead of primaries. See open versus closed primaries for details.
How to follow the 2028 race before anyone votes #
Candidates typically announce in the year after the midterms, but pollsters are already surveying both parties’ likely fields. Election Tracker has a 2028 Primary tab with Republican and Democratic sub-tabs. Each field has its own 30-day polling average and a trend line with each candidate shaded so same-party lines stay distinguishable. Every poll card lists the pollster, sample size, population and field dates.
For another angle, the app’s Market Sentiment tab shows current Polymarket prices for the 2028 Democratic and Republican nominee markets, with 24-hour moves. The app presents those prices as trader sentiment, not forecasts, in a read-only view.
Frequently asked questions #
When is the first 2028 primary? #
Under the DNC’s approved calendar, South Carolina’s Democratic primary on January 22, 2028. Republicans expect the Iowa caucuses to go first on their side, with the date not yet announced. New Hampshire could also schedule an earlier primary under its state law.
When is Super Tuesday 2028? #
March 7, 2028, the first Tuesday in March. Which states vote that day will depend on state laws, some of which may change before 2028.
Is Iowa still first in 2028? #
For Republicans, yes. The RNC voted in January 2026 to keep Iowa’s caucuses at the front. For Democrats, no: South Carolina goes first and Iowa isn’t among the early states.
What’s the difference between a primary and a caucus? #
A primary is a government-run election where you vote by secret ballot, in person or by mail. A caucus is a party-run meeting where participants gather to support candidates, sometimes openly. Our comparison of primaries and caucuses covers the details.
When will the 2028 calendar be final? #
Parts are set now: the DNC approved its early-state dates in August 2026. The rest depends on state legislatures, which will set or adjust dates through 2027, and on any standoffs like New Hampshire’s. Expect the full calendar to firm up by late 2027.