Georgia’s presidential primary set for March 12, 2024

Much to the chagrin of Democrats, Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffesnburger has denied their request to be one of the first states to vote on the 2024 nominating calendar. 

Raffensperger announced his decision Thursday to hold the presidential primary on March 12, a date he said will put Georgia “at the center of the national focus.”

During a press conference at the state Capitol to reveal the state’s presidential primary date Raffensperger said, “Georgia is the bellwether state. If you can win Georgia, you will win nationally,” Raffensperger has the sole authority to set the primary date per Georgia law. 

The hopes of state and national Democrats were dashed with Raffensperger’s announcement that he was scheduling in mid-March versus the time they requested to make Georgia the fourth state on the 2024 presidential nominating calendar. Democrats felt that their date would further elevate Georgia’s status as a premier political battleground. 

With a March 12 vote, Georgia will be center stage with other state primaries including Idaho, Mississippi, and Washington state.

But scheduling the primary a week after a “Super Tuesday” headlined by California, Texas, and Massachusetts also risks sidelining Georgia if former President Donald Trump or another GOP contender has already collected enough delegates to knock out all rivals. Still, the timing is Georgia voters are used to this time frame. In 2016, the presidential primary was held on March 1. In 2020, officials initially scheduled Georgia’s vote for March 24 but the coronavirus pandemic pushed this to June.

This disappointment for Georgia Democrats comes on the heels of being passed over for Chicago as host of the Democratic National Convention after intense lobbying to get the nod.