WASHTINGTON, D.C. -- Five states will be allowed to have early Democratic presidential primaries in 2024--and Iowa isn't one of them.
"Grant waivers to South Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Georgia, and Michigan," says Democratic National Committee Counsel Graham Wilson.
The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee voting Friday to allow those five states to hold presidential primaries before March 2nd, 2024.
Many of the now first-in-the-nation states pushed for the change, saying Iowa lacks the population and diversity to lead off the presidential selection process.
As it stands now, South Carolina will hold the first Democratic primary on February 3rd, New Hampshire and Nevada will go three days later on the 6th, Georgia's primary will be February 13th, and Michigan on the 27th.
That calendar draws objections from Iowa and New Hampshire.
"I think that this proposal impossible truncates the process on the front end, and really reduces the power of the three states that have been selected for those spots," says Iowa DNC representative Scott Brennan.
He also says that the new primary calendar will make it hard for presidential candidates to campaign in a number of states simultaneously.
"By jamming the three of these together in such a tight timeframe, you've created a possibility of an impossible process," Brennan says.
Many of the now first-in-the-nation states pushed for the calendar change, saying Iowa lacks the population and diversity to lead off the presidential selection process.
The five states have until January 5th to make the necessary local adjustments to changing their primary dates.
The full Democratic National Committee must still approve the new calendar early next year.
Iowa Democrats say they may still go ahead with a first-in-the-nation presidential caucus, as mandated by state law.
The Republican Party of Iowa still plans a lead-off caucus in 2024.