A RESOLUTION OF THE MANASSAS AND MANASSAS PARK CITIES DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE SUPPORTING AND ENDORSING THE ADOPTION OF AN EQUITABLE METHOD FOR AWARDING THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF HOLDING THE EARLIEST PRIMARIES IN FUTURE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
WHEREAS, The Manassas and Manassas Park Cities Democratic Committee is dedicated to the goal of helping to elect Democratic candidates at all levels of government – and to promoting the ideals of democracy and equality.
WHEREAS, The Democratic party is committed to free and fair elections, and that should include fairly deciding which States will hold the first primaries in Presidential elections.
WHEREAS, For many years, Iowa has held the first caucus and New Hampshire has held the first primary–simply because they have insisted that it be them-–a practice that was both grossly unfair to the citizens of other states and tended (and continues) to foster resentment and distrust in the primary process.
WHEREAS, Neither Iowa nor New Hampshire are representative of the Democratic electorate or of the country as a whole.
WHEREAS, We believe that democracy functions best when more people are vested in the democratic process, and therefore we want to encourage turnout in elections, and that this change would help build trust in the democratic process and in the Democratic party, promote turnout and engagement in future elections; and encourage more voters to vote for Democrats, as the party that has included them in the decision-making process in this way.
WHEREAS, The Democratic Party is, even now, trying to decide which states will hold the first primaries in 2028, and is trying to come up with an equitable means for making that decision.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Manassas and Manassas Park Cities Democratic Committee hereby supports the adoption of a process of choosing which state shall hold the first primary in future elections, by having this honor go to the state that has the highest Democratic turnout, as a percent of registered voters, in the two preceding Federal elections.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that because the first Federal election since the 2024 primaries has already been held, and it would not be reasonable to make such a rule be retroactive, the honor of holding the first Presidential primary or caucus in 2028 should go to the state with the highest percentage Democratic turnout in the 2026 Federal elections (as a percent of registered voters).
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that if the Republican party chooses to hold joint primaries with us, then the first Presidential primary should be awarded to the state with the highest total percentage turnout, rather than the state with the highest Democratic turnout.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the order of primaries after the first one should be likewise determined, with the second and third primaries being held by the states with the second and third highest percentage turnouts – and that the order of the regional primaries should be likewise determined. The region with the highest percentage turnout in the preceding election(s) should have the privilege and honor of going first, and so on.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution be disseminated to as many other Democratic committees as possible, and that it be forwarded to the Democratic National Committee, along with our endorsement.
WE BELIEVE that this change will help to build trust in the democratic process and in the Democratic party, that it will encourage higher turnout and engagement in future elections, and that it will encourage more voters to vote for Democrats.
Adopted by the Manassas & Manassas Park Cities Democratic Committee on October 15, 2025.
