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New Hampshire serves cease and desist to DNC, who called their Jan. 23 primary ‘meaningless’
The cease and desist is the latest in a head-to-head between the DNC and New Hampshire, which wants to maintain their opening primary spot.
New Hampshire issued a cease-and-desist order to the Democratic National Convention as they attempt to undermine their first-in-the-nation primary, the state’s attorney general announced Monday.
The cease-and-desist order named DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee Co-Chairs Minyon Moore and James Roosevelt Jr. after they sent a letter to the New Hampshire Democratic Party calling their primary on Jan. 23 “meaningless.”
“Regardless of whether the DNC refuses to award delegates to the party’s national convention based on the results of the January 23, 2024, New Hampshire democratic Presidential Primary Election, this New Hampshire election is not ‘meaningless,’” the AG’s office wrote. “RBC’s statements to the contrary are false, deceptive, and misleading.”
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The cease and desist is the latest in a head-to-head between the DNC and the state of New Hampshire, where officials want to maintain their opening primary spot. The national Democrats and President Joe Biden revamped the primary calendar in an effort for Black and minority voters to play a stronger role in the early process of the presidential election. The populations of Iowa and New Hampshire, typically the hosts of the first two primaries in the country, each are more than 90% white.
The overhauled primary calendar puts New Hampshire after multiple states. Iowa Democrats are still planning to lead the voting with their caucus, but they will delay the release of the results to comply with the DNC’s calendar. South Carolina will vote on Feb. 3, and Nevada will go Feb. 6.
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As of Jan. 8, New Hampshire’s primary is set for March 12. However, New Hampshire’s state law says their primary election must be at least seven days before all other similar elections.
In the letter to New Hampshire Democrats, the DNC said the noncompliant primary will disenfranchise and confuse voters.
“The NHDP must take steps to educate the public that January 23rd is a non-binding presidential preference event and is meaningless and the NHDP and presidential candidates should take all steps possible not to participate,” the DNC’s letter said.
New Hampshire, however, isn’t budging on their Jan. 23 primary. The attorney general said their statements amount to voter suppression.
“Telling the public or any person qualified to register to vote or vote in New Hampshire that the January 23, 2024, New Hampshire democratic Presidential Primary Election is ‘meaningless’ or soliciting NHDP or any other party to make such statements, constitutes an attempt to prevent or deter another person from voting or registering to vote based on fraudulent, deceptive, misleading, or spurious grounds or information,” the cease and desist order said.
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