Democrats vote to change 2024 nomination process

• South Carolina will open the nominations, followed by New Hampshire and Nevada.
• Iowa has held the first-in-the-nation caucuses since 1972.
• It follows nearly 50 years of tradition.

Democratic National Committee (DNC) members have agreed to reorganize their 2024 presidential primary timetable, upending nearly 50 years of tradition.

South Carolina will open the nominations, followed a week later by New Hampshire and Nevada.

The decision will dethrone Iowa. Iowa has held the first-in-the-nation caucuses since 1972.

The decision, announced Friday, reflects a power shift in US politics as Democrats focus on cultivating a more diverse voter base.

Republican and Democratic presidential nominees are decided by state-by-state primaries and caucuses. States that vote before Super Tuesday affect each party’s nomination.

Friday’s decision comes after US President Joe Biden called on the DNC to ditch “restrictive and anti-worker” caucuses that compel voters to arrive in person at a fixed venue and time.

Biden’s personal letter emphasized the need to prioritize Black voters in the party’s presidential selection process.

Black voters have been the Democratic Party’s backbone for decades, but they’ve been overlooked in early primaries, Biden wrote.

We rely on these voters in elections but haven’t recognized their relevance in nominating. It’s time to stop taking these voters for granted and give them a stronger, earlier voice.

Black voters in South Carolina helped Biden’s 2020 presidential hopes in a close primary. Biden trailed other Democratic candidates in Iowa and New Hampshire in 2008.

He won South Carolina, helping him earn the party’s nominee. 26% of South Carolinians are black.

Biden received 92% of the Black vote against Republican President Donald Trump.

DNC member Donna Brazile said Democrats have long been criticized for taking Black voters and their issues for granted.

“Do you live on a gravel road? “Do you know what it’s like to find clear running water?” Brazile asked the DNC. “Do you know what it’s like to hope the storm passes and your roof stays intact?”

Friday’s result also boosts the importance of upcoming Democratic primaries in Georgia and Michigan. New Hampshire, Nevada, Georgia, and Michigan are key battleground states for Democrats when Biden runs for reelection in 2024.

South Carolina hasn’t voted for a Democrat since 1976.

As the incumbent, Biden is a shoo-in for his party’s 2024 candidacy, thus Friday’s decision might affect future elections.

The RNC plans to use the Iowa caucus as its first primary in 2024. Trump launched his candidacy in November.

Iowa Republicans called the DNC’s primary reshuffle “an unserious choice from an unserious president”.

Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann remarked, “The DNC and Joe Biden have just started off absolute anarchy.”

Democratic rules committee member Scott Brennan of Iowa urged party members to include “small, rural states” in the nominating process.

“Democrats can’t ignore whole segments of Midwest voters without hurting the party in younger generations,” he said. Brennan and other Iowa and New Hampshire committee members voted against Friday’s adjustment.

Iowa’s 2020 Democratic caucus had days of delays and discrepancies, leading Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg to request recanvassing.

Nevada Democrats criticized Friday’s new nomination timetable, which puts their state voting second with New Hampshire.

Nevada’s Artie Blanco remarked, “If we want a solid relationship with Latinos, Nevada must stand alone.”

The 2021 census estimates that 30% of Nevada’s population is Latino.

Iowa and New Hampshire say state rules require them to proceed before others, therefore they won’t follow the committee’s decision.

Also Read

Democrats aim to pass bills protecting same-sex marriage

Democrats are looking to [ass the bills protecting same-sex marriage rights. The...