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Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022

Did Nevada Democrats ask for but not receive status as the first primary election in the nation?


yes

Nevada Democrats asked the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to make the state the party’s first primary in 2024, based on Nevada’s ethnic diversity and battleground status. The DNC has instead proposed South Carolina for its first primary, pending a final vote in early 2023.

Since 1972, the Iowa caucuses were first on the Democrats’ election calendar, but the party decided to make a change after technical difficulties during the state’s 2020 caucuses and because of Iowa’s lack of ethnic diversity.

For 2024, a subcommittee of the DNC has voted to propose a new primary lineup, as suggested by President Joe Biden. South Carolina’s primary would be on Feb. 3, Nevada’s and New Hampshire’s on Feb. 6, Georgia’s on Feb. 13 and Michigan’s on Feb. 27.

Some have speculated that Biden chose South Carolina because the state’s primary changed the trajectory of his presidential campaign in 2020. 

See a full discussion of this at The Nevada Independent

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

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The Nevada Independent is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news and opinion website founded in 2017 by veteran political journalist and commentator Jon Ralston. The site and its supporting channels are focused on ethical, unbiased and transparent journalism. In general, we aim to gather and disseminate important public information and increase civic engagement. We are supported by corporate donations, memberships, event ticket sales and sponsorships and foundation grants. We disclose all our members and donors. Donors have no influence over our content, ever. The Nevada Independent is the dba for Nevada News Bureau, Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 2010 by Elizabeth Thompson, who now serves as one of The Nevada Independent's managing directors and its Editor.

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