Democrats consider Illinois as early primary state in 2028 election calendar
CHICAGO - The Democratic Party is considering a dozen states, including Illinois, to be among the first primary election contests in the 2028 election cycle.
Representatives from Illinois will present to a party committee on why the state should move up in the primary calendar.
What we know:
In recent years, there’s been a push among Democrats to include more diverse states in the early primary voting calendar, when historically voters tend to quickly narrow down the most viable candidates for the party’s nomination.
Iowa and New Hampshire have been the first two contests in the primary cycle for decades, but critics have argued their smaller and less diverse populations don’t represent the party’s base very well.
Illinois political leaders have argued that the state’s diverse geography and demographics make it a good fit for an early primary spot.
"Illinois is a cross-section of urban, suburban, and rural America, a national beacon for labor rights, equality, and reproductive justice, and the heart of the Democratic Party in the Midwest," said Lisa Hernandez, the chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois. "From Cairo to Champaign, up from the Quad Cities to Chicago, and everywhere in between, Illinois offers candidates ample opportunities to reach voters of all backgrounds. We are a microcosm of America and the perfect analog to test a potential nominee’s capabilities on the national stage."
State Democratic leaders announced their application last month with the support of Gov. JB Pritzker, State House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, State Senate President Don Harmon, and a coalition of advocacy and labor groups.
The other 11 states under consideration are Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
A committee from the national Democratic Party will select four to five states for the early primary window, and they will include one state from the East, Midwest, South, and West.
The committee members will also pick the states based on three "pillars":
- Rigorousness in the ability of early states to test primary candidates with diverse groups of voters key to winning a general election.
- Fairness in that they are affordable and practical for candidates and not exhaust campaign resources unreasonably.
- Efficiency in their ability to run "fair, transparent, and inclusive" primary elections.
While Illinois does boast a diverse population, much of the voting comes from the Chicago area, which is also a large media market that could prove cumbersome for presidential candidates.
The Illinois Democratic Party touted the state's election infrastructure, its "timely" ballot counting, and plethora of voting options as reasons why the state is capable of supporting an early primary.
Illinois has historically held its primary election in mid-March, but the first primary contests in each presidential cycle typically take place in February.
If Illinois is chosen among the first primary states, it could be helpful for Gov. JB Pritzker if he decides to seek the Democratic nomination for president. He has not said if he would run and is currently pursuing a third term as governor in the 2026 midterm election.