Topline
A panel of Democratic National Committee officials scrapped the party’s traditional presidential primary calendar on Wednesday, according to multiple reports, possibly knocking Iowa from the leading position it has long occupied by letting other states apply to hold the nation’s first Democratic nominating contest in 2024.
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Key Facts
The DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee voted Wednesday evening to establish a process under which states can apply to hold an early presidential primary in 2024, Politico, CNN and NPR reported.
According to prior reports by the Des Moines Register, the four states that have traditionally led the nominating process—Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina—would not necessarily receive preference over other applicants.
Additionally, the DNC may expand from four state-level primaries before Super Tuesday—when more than a dozen states typically hold their primary races—to five, according to Politico and CNN.
States wishing to be considered for early-state designation will be required to submit a letter of intent to the DNC by May 6 and a full application by June 3, followed by a presentation delivered later that month, Politico reported.
States will reportedly be evaluated according to their diversity and competitiveness, and states with standard primary elections could be favored over places like Iowa that use in-person caucuses.
Key Background
Iowa has held the nation’s first Democratic nominating contest in every presidential election since 1972, giving its voters outsized power as candidates seek to gain early momentum. But in 2020, Iowa’s Democratic Party faced criticism as officials struggled to tally results from local precincts. Some Democrats have also argued Iowa’s small population and demographic homogeneity make it a poor choice to lead the primary process.
Further Reading
“Democrats Reportedly Eye Bumping Iowa From Start Of Primary Calendar” (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharysmith/2022/04/13/dnc-upends-presidential-primary-calendar-possibly-knocking-iowa-from-top-spot/