Mark your calendars — Democrats are ready for 2028

The Democratic Party belongs to all Democrats. It belongs to every wing of our party, every region of our country, and people from every walk of life. It belongs to those who live in major cities, rural communities, suburbs and small towns. It belongs to those who have been active in our party for decades and those casting their first-ever primary ballot.

Our primary calendar for the next presidential election reflects just that.

As co-chairs of the Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee, responsible for fairly reflecting the scope of America in the 2028 primary, we believe the best decisions are made when everyone has a seat at the table, debates are held out in the open, and the process earns the trust of everyone involved.

Over the weekend, Democrats delivered on that promise by officially approving six “early window” states for our 2028 presidential nominating calendar: South Carolina, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia.

This proposed lineup is the result of 10 months of hard work, numerous open meetings, and dozens of hours of public deliberation. It also makes history — for the first time in decades, we have a new early-window calendar with a wide-open field.

Most importantly for our party, this calendar puts Democrats in the best position possible to win back the White House in 2028. It rigorously tests our candidates across key battleground states and an increasingly diverse electorate, while keeping the contest open and affordable so that voters, not money, decide our nominee.

That nominee, whoever it is, will have to appeal to a wide range of voters. The calendar the DNC passed demands that candidates not only introduce themselves but prove themselves to every type of voter, including those who will be key to winning the general election.

That is why our early window puts four battleground states — Nevada, New Hampshire, Michigan and Virginia — at the start of our nominating contest, while also including states with competitive down-ballot races and swing-voter populations, like South Carolina and New Mexico.

At the same time, our calendar amplifies the voices of Black voters, who are a foundation of the Democratic Party. This is especially important in the wake of the Louisiana v. Callais ruling, which has allowed Republicans to racially gerrymander the electoral map . Black voters have carried our party through its most consequential elections in the past, yet Republicans across the country are seeking to remove Black voices from the halls of government.

In 2028, the Democratic Party is putting those voices front and center to help shape the future of our country. With an eye toward growing regions of the country and where political power will reorient after the next census, this early window further recognizes the growing importance of the South and Sun Belt regions that are poised to gain additional representation in years to come.

Finally, this early-window calendar is efficient, not only for the states holding the contests but for the candidates competing in them. All six of these states have a proven track record of running fair, transparent and inclusive contests. Whether they are geographically compact, like New Hampshire, have affordable media markets, like Nevada, or feature both, like South Carolina, this early window doesn’t box out any candidates. Our presidential nominating process shouldn’t be restricted to those who have the biggest bank account, the highest name recognition, or the greatest head start. Rather, it should allow all candidates to introduce themselves to voters without being priced out before the process has truly begun.

This calendar, and the process used to put it together, accomplishes that. Because of reforms proposed by DNC Chair Ken Martin, the Rules and Bylaws Committee was expanded to its largest membership in history. For the first time ever, committee members were chosen directly by the DNC’s caucuses and councils, ensuring that voices from all across our party and country had a say in determining our calendar. Because this was the most representative Rules and Bylaws Committee in our history, it produced the most diverse early-state calendar in our history.

We are proud that the calendar has earned support and praise from a broad range of Democrats, elected officials and advocates alike who recognize the strength of the early window. It battle-tests our candidates, represents the full array of voters and establishes a fair, open and affordable process for anyone seeking the nomination.

That is what happens when we open the doors, broaden participation and trust the full diversity of our party to help lead. Better decisions are made when more voices are included, and if Democrats are going to defend democracy throughout our country, then we must be wholly committed to practicing it inside our party, too.

At the end of the day, this calendar strengthens our party by welcoming in millions of Americans. Because of the work that we’ve accomplished, our eventual nominee will enter the general election in the best position to unite our coalition and to compete in every part of the country. And when — not if — we flip the White House in 2028, it will be because of the work that our committee, and so many Democrats across the country, are doing to ensure we get there.

Minyon Moore and Jim Roosevelt are co-chairs of the Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee.