The Democratic National Committee's rulemaking arm voted to seat New Hampshire's full slate of delegates at the party's convention, resolving a dispute over the state's primary status. The move comes after a recent event where the state party conducted a delegate selection process, which some committee members were unaware of being a primary or nominating event.
The state party has confirmed that the delegate selection process is complete, effectively bypassing the earlier primary vote won by President Joe Biden through a write-in campaign. This decision ends the threat of sanctions against New Hampshire Democrats for not adhering to the DNC's primary calendar.
The recent event, described as a party-run delegate selection primary, involved a small number of Democrats casting ballots listing only Biden. Despite criticism from some party members, the DNC proceeded with the vote to seat all delegates from New Hampshire.
The conflict originated in December 2022 when President Biden urged the DNC to reorder the primary calendar to empower voters of color. The DNC then scheduled South Carolina's primary first for 2024, displacing Iowa and New Hampshire. New Hampshire's decision to hold an unsanctioned primary led to threats of sanctions from the DNC.
The resolution allows New Hampshire to send delegates to the convention without facing penalties. While some Democratic candidates campaigned in the unsanctioned primary, none won delegates to the convention. The primary dispute, though largely symbolic due to Biden's uncontested candidacy, was crucial for both parties as the DNC plans to review the primary calendar for 2028 post-election.
The vote signifies the end of a contentious period for both the DNC and New Hampshire, with the DNC expressing relief that the matter has been resolved. The state's delegates will now participate in the national convention as usual, marking the conclusion of a months-long disagreement over primary scheduling.
