When is the Democratic primary? Here's a state-by-state guide to the 2024 schedule
Decision day 2024 is fast approaching, and another fierce election cycle is already underway. A wide field of candidates is duking it out on the Republican side, each attempting to catch up to former President Donald Trump who leads the polls by double digits.
The Democratic side has been relatively quiet, by comparison, with only Marianne Williamson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. throwing their hat in the ring to challenge President Joe Biden. Though RFK Jr. made a splash initially with surprisingly high polling numbers, he has since changed his registration to independent, all but ensuring his presence on the ballot in many states for the general election.
But first, the primaries. To make sure you're primed and ready for election day, here's a (tentative) guide to the Democratic primary calendar for 2024.
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What is a caucus?
Some states hold primaries, while others opt for a caucus. While a primary election is run by state and local governments, a caucus is run by political parties. A traditional primary election resembles the general election, with voting taking place via private ballot.
A caucus, however, involves voters dividing themselves into groups based on the candidate they prefer, and arguing for others to join them. At the end of the caucus, the number of members in each group determines how many delegates that candidate gets.
Up for grabs in each caucus and primary is a certain number of delegates. The delegates are sent to each party's national convention, and the candidate with the majority secures the nomination.
January 15
Iowa (caucus)
January 23
New Hampshire
Secretary of State David Scanlan announced that New Hampshire's first-in-nation primary will take place on January 23, despite efforts from the Democratic National Committee to shake up the schedule. In an effort to elevate more diverse voters, the DNC announced earlier this year that South Carolina would be the first primary, booting New Hampshire. The state has refused to comply though, likely resulting in them losing many of their delegates at the 2024 national convention.
February 3
South Carolina
February 6
Nevada
February 27
Michigan
March 5
Alabama
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Maine
Massachusettes
Minnesota
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
March 12
Georgia
Mississippi
Washington
March 19
Arizona
Florida
Illinois
Kansas
Ohio
March 23
Louisiana
Missouri
April 2
Connecticut
Delaware
New York
Rhode Island
Wisconsin
April 6
Alaska
Hawaii
North Dakota
April 13
Wyoming (caucus)
April 23
Pennsylvania
April 28
Puerto Rico
May 7
Indiana
May 14
Maryland
Nebraska
West Virginia
May 21
Kentucky
Oregon
May 23
Idaho (caucus)
June 4
Montana
New Jersey
New Mexico
South Dakota
Washington D.C.
June 8
Virgin Islands (caucus)
Guam (caucus)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2024 Democratic primary schedule: When voting starts in your state