America is unique in how it chooses its presidential nominees. Instead of a party-led selection process with strict rules and minimal input from the public, it is the people who get to decide who runs for president. This is done through a series of state-level elections held by the party organizations, with each state competing for the honor of being the first to cast their ballots for the nominees. For many years, Iowa held this position, but on February 4th, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) gave the title to South Carolina, previously the fourth state to vote.
Activists have long been pushing for a change in the primary calendar, arguing that Iowa and New Hampshire, the second state to vote, have too much influence due to their predominantly white populations. South Carolina, on the other hand, has the fifth-highest concentration of black Americans, making up 27% of the adult population. Shouldn’t this be taken into account, given the Democratic Party’s reliance on black voters?
The answer to this question is no. It is not as important to go first as it is for candidates to consolidate support among certain demographic groups and donors. South Carolina’s fourth place in the voting process still allowed a candidate to gain the confidence of black voters, even if they didn’t do well in the earlier states. This is what happened in the last election cycle, when Joe Biden had a “surprising” comeback in the 1992…
2023-02-09 09:25:11
Post from www.economist.com
Black Democrats will have an earlier opportunity to influence the 2024 primary calendar thanks to a new rule change approved by the Democratic National Committee. The rule requires that every state or territory follow a rotation for the order in which their elections are held, and it includes an emphasis on diversity and inclusion.
The rotation was approved this past May and will be implemented for the next presidential election cycle. The rotation begins in Iowa, which has the earliest caucuses, then follows a geographic pattern. States with larger African-American populations or that have made progress toward racial and socioeconomic equity, such as South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi, are slated for early contests. This system is intended to increase voter turnout in those states, and to give African-American voters a stronger voice in the Democratic primary process.
The new system also calls for the Super Tuesday primaries on March 8th to be more evenly distributed throughout the country, rather than having the majority of states hold their elections on the same day. This will allow the campaigns more time to travel and reach out to voters in key states.
In addition, the rule requires that states make efforts to ensure accessible voting options – such as early voting, mail-in voting, and same-day registration – regardless of party affiliation. This is an effort to increase voter turnout among marginalized communities.
The Democratic National Committee hopes that these changes will ensure that the political process is fairer and more accessible for minority voices. It is the party’s way of recognizing that the perspectives of African-American Democrats are essential to building a stronger, more inclusive party.
The implementation of the new rule is believed to be just one of the many steps that the Democratic party is taking to make their elections system more equitable. If all goes as planned, the chances for greater African-American participation in the 2024 election cycle should increase significantly.