Iowa Democrats have officially announced the surrender of their first-in-the-nation caucuses for the upcoming presidential election year. This decision was made at a Democratic National Committee (DNC) meeting, where it was agreed that Iowa would release its presidential preference numbers on March 5, coinciding with Super Tuesday. However, Iowa officials intend to lobby for an earlier nominating contest in 2028.
On the other hand, New Hampshire remains steadfast in preserving its early primary status, despite the DNC’s objections, leading to an official declaration of non-compliance. This decision perpetuates a long-standing battle between New Hampshire and the DNC regarding the primary schedule.
Iowa’s Influence Ends, New Hampshire’s Defiance Persists
The DNC’s decision marks the culmination of a year-long internal party debate focused on revising the presidential nominating calendar. The emphasis has shifted towards prioritizing battleground states with more diverse populations over Iowa, which has traditionally held the first-in-the-nation caucus status.
The 2024 nominating calendar is set to commence with South Carolina on Feb. 3, followed by Nevada on Feb. 6 and Michigan on Feb. 27. Iowa’s exclusion from the early-state process for the 2024 cycle is a result of Georgia’s inability to change its date, leaving it unable to host an early nominating contest.
New Hampshire’s Law and Unyielding Stance
New Hampshire possesses a unique law mandating that its primary must take place one week before any similar contest. Since the Republican-controlled state government refuses to alter this rule, New Hampshire Democrats are compelled to follow the secretary of state’s schedule. Governor Chris Sununu, a Republican, has affirmed that New Hampshire will maintain its early primary status “no matter what.”
Earlier this year, New Hampshire was granted an extension until mid-October to comply with the DNC’s rules. However, by declaring the state “non-compliant” now, New Hampshire Democrats have another 30 days to achieve compliance. Failure to do so may result in sanctions imposed by the DNC.
The Challenge of a Write-In Campaign
New Hampshire Democrats, led by influential party members, have contemplated a write-in campaign in case they must proceed with their primary despite non-compliance. Such a campaign aims to ensure a strong showing for President Joe Biden, even if his name doesn’t appear on the ballot.
Delegates and Potential Sanctions
Should New Hampshire continue with its primary, the state would automatically lose half of its delegates based on party rules. The DNC has also empowered the national party chair to take additional measures to enforce the early window.
Iowa’s Prospects for the Future
While Iowa concedes its position for 2024, state Democrats are looking ahead to future election cycles. They are determined to regain prominence in early nominating contests, even as Republicans are set to hold their first nominating contest in Iowa on Jan. 15, 2024.
In an effort to comply with the DNC while minimizing the contest’s significance, Iowa Democrats plan to mail presidential preference cards on Jan. 12 and hold in-person precinct caucuses on Jan. 15. The Iowa Democratic Party intends to accept preference cards postmarked on or before March 5, Super Tuesday, with the results of their mail-in caucus to be released accordingly.
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