President Joe Biden will remove his name from the primary ballot in support of the Democratic party if New Hampshire does not reverse its law requiring it to be first in the primary by Oct. 14. The state has sustained this practice since its beginning at the primary of 1920 and argues the law that requires it is irreversible and they will not concede. 

The Democratic National Committee intends to make South Carolina the first state to vote in the primary, taking New Hampshire’s spot. New Hampshire was given a Sept. 1 deadline to concede the spot, but chose not to make any efforts towards reversing the law. 

The DNC will remove delegates for next year if New Hampshire does not comply by Oct. 14. 

Matthew Marcil, a Suffolk sophomore and President of the Suffolk Democrats, agrees with the DNC.

“[New Hampshire] should listen to the DNC. During the election, the entire party is united behind Biden,” he said. “I don’t think it’ll hurt his candidacy, but will hurt New Hampshire and make them look less legitimate. Robert Kennedy Jr. will be benefited and that will weaken the party.”

Ultimately, Marcil said, the issue is solvable. 

“Biden should remove his name and New Hampshire should reverse the law,” Marcil said.

According to this poll, while there was 60% support for the state law, only 43% of Democrats agreed that New Hampshire should continue voting first in the primary election.

However, Republican leaders in the state disagree. “We have the law that says New Hampshire’s primary will go at least seven days before any similar nominating event. And we will follow the law,” said New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan.

Another reason the Democratic Party is pushing for the change is that the purpose of the primary is to represent the U.S. as a whole. It believes New Hampshire being first does not achieve an accurate representation of the nation. 

“Things are made to change. The white rural voters have been kept at the forefront of politics, which doesn’t represent our country. It will bring the voice back to minority groups,” Mercil said. “This will allow more voices to have greater pull in the voting process.” 

According to the New Hampshire Bulletin, “the Democratic electorate in Iowa and New Hampshire is less than 5% Black. South Carolina’s Democratic primary electorate is far more diverse, at over 50% Black.”

Max DiGiovanni, a political science major from New Hampshire, believes Biden may be harming his own campaign by aligning with the DNC.

“I personally feel like Biden may as well be telling New Hampshire that he doesn’t need their vote to win,” he said. “Threatening to withdraw his name from New Hampshire ballots is only going to affect people who were already planning on voting for him.”

As a first-time voter and New Hampshire citizen, DiGiovanni doesn’t agree with New Hampshire’s views on the issue. 

“As a citizen of New Hampshire, I don’t think it’s fair for New Hampshire to always go first in presidential primaries. However, I still think the party is making a substantial blunder if they don’t include Biden’s name on the ballot, which will almost certainly cost him any chance of success in New Hampshire.”