South Carolina will hold the first Democratic presidential primary in the 2028 election cycle on Jan. 22, 2028, according to the Democratic Party’s approved calendar. The decision makes South Carolina the opening state for Democratic nominating contests that year.
The Democratic National Committee gives final approval to the schedule, which also includes other early contests. Nevada is set for Feb. 1, while New Hampshire, long the first-in-the-nation contest, will hold its primary later in the sequence on Feb. 8. Additional early nominating contests are planned for New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia, though the specific dates beyond South Carolina’s Jan. 22 start are provided in the broader calendar.
Across outlets, the central point is consistent: the DNC approves the 2028 primary calendar with South Carolina kicking off the process, followed by Nevada and other early states.
