Introduction
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has disrupted election calendars across the country and prompted states to delay state primaries, runoffs and presidential preference primaries.
Political parties run state primaries to determine which candidates for legislative seats will go on the general election ballot on Nov. 3, 2020. These include legislative seats in 46 states along with U.S. senators and representatives, governors and statewide officials.
States often hold their state and presidential primaries on different dates, and both dates are captured in the tables below. The earliest state primaries for 2020 are held March 3 and the latest in mid-September. June and August are the busiest months for state primaries.
Some states have reserved dates for a primary runoff in the event that no candidate gets the requisite percentage of votes. For details on how runoffs work in these states, visit NCSL's Primary Runoffs webpage.
Note that Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and Virginia hold their legislative elections in odd-numbered years. The dates listed for those states apply to congressional and other races. See our report, Why Do Four States Have Odd-Year Elections?, for more information.
Louisiana’s Nov. 3, 2020, election is an all-comers primary, where candidates of all parties are listed on one ballot together. If no candidate for a race receives a majority of the votes, the winner will be determined in a runoff on Dec. 5.
The manner in which party primary elections are conducted varies widely from state to state. Please visit the State Primary Elections page for information on types of primaries, such as "closed," "open" and "top two."
2020 State and Presidential Primary Dates, Chronological
| Date |
State |
Election |
Is This a Change? |
|
Feb. 3
|
Iowa
|
Presidential Primary (Caucus)
|
No
|
|
Feb. 11
|
New Hampshire
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
Feb. 22
|
Nevada
|
Presidential Primary (Caucus, Democratic only)
|
No
|
|
Feb. 29
|
South Carolina
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
February-March
|
Wyoming
|
Presidential Primary (Caucus, Republican only)
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
Alabama
|
State Primary* and Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
Arkansas
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
California
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
Colorado
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
Maine
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
Massachusetts
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
Minnesota
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
North Carolina
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
Oklahoma
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
Tennessee
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
Texas
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
Utah
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
Vermont
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 3
|
Virginia
|
Presidential Primary (Democratic only)
|
No
|
|
March 10
|
Idaho
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 10
|
Michigan
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 10
|
Mississippi
|
State Primary* and Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 10
|
Missouri
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 10
|
North Dakota
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 10
|
Washington
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 17
|
Arizona
|
Presidential Primary (Democratic only)
|
No
|
|
March 17
|
Florida
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 17
|
Illinois
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
March 31
|
Arkansas
|
State Runoff
|
No
|
|
April 4
|
Alaska
|
Presidential Primary (Democratic only)
|
No
|
|
April 7
|
Wisconsin
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
April 17
|
Wyoming
|
Presidential Primary (Caucus, Democratic only)
|
Yes; the Wyoming Democratic Party canceled April 4 in-person voting and extended the deadline for mail-in ballots to April 17.
|
| April 28 |
Ohio |
State Primary and Presidential Primary |
Yes; both primaries were originally scheduled for March 17. The Ohio Legislature passed a law extending absentee voting through April 28. |
|
May 2
|
Kansas
|
Presidential Primary (Democratic only)
|
No; In-person voting has been canceled and the primary will be held entirely by mail.
|
|
May 12
|
Nebraska
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
May 19
|
Idaho
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
May 19
|
Oregon
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
May 22
|
Hawaii
|
Presidential Primary
|
Yes; the Hawaii Democratic Party canceled April 4 in-person voting and extended the deadline for mail-in ballots to May 22.
|
|
June 2
|
District of Columbia
|
Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
June 2
|
Indiana
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
Yes; both primaries were originally scheduled for May 5.
|
|
June 2
|
Iowa
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
June 2
|
Maryland
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
Yes; both primaries were originally scheduled for April 28.
|
|
June 2
|
Montana
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
June 2
|
New Mexico
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
No
|
|
June 2
|
Pennsylvania
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
Yes; both primaries were originally scheduled for April 28.
|
|
June 2
|
Rhode Island
|
Presidential Primary
|
Yes; originally scheduled for April 28.
|
|
June 2
|
South Dakota
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
No
|
| June 9 |
Georgia |
State Primary and Presidential Primary |
Yes; the Presidential Primary was originally scheduled for March 24 and the State Primary for May 19. |
|
June 9
|
Nevada
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
June 9
|
North Dakota
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
June 9
|
South Carolina
|
State Primary
|
No
|
| June 9 |
West Virginia |
State Primary and Presidential Primary |
Yes; originally scheduled for May 12. |
|
June 23
|
Kentucky
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
Yes; both primaries were originally scheduled for May 19.
|
|
June 23
|
Mississippi
|
State Runoff
|
Yes; originally scheduled for March 31.
|
|
June 23
|
New York
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
Yes; the Presidential Primary was originally scheduled for April 28.
|
|
June 23
|
North Carolina
|
State Runoff**
|
Yes; originally scheduled for May 12.
|
|
June 23
|
South Carolina
|
State Runoff
|
No
|
| June 23 |
Virginia |
State Primary* |
Yes; originally scheduled for June 9. |
|
June 30
|
Colorado
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
June 30
|
Oklahoma
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
June 30
|
Utah
|
State Primary
|
No
|
| July 7 |
Delaware |
Presidential Primary |
Yes; originally scheduled for April 28, postponed to June 2 and then again to July 7. |
| July 7 |
New Jersey |
State Primary* and Presidential Primary |
Yes; originally scheduled for June 2. |
| July 11 |
Louisiana |
Presidential Primary |
Yes; originally scheduled for April 4. |
|
July 14
|
Alabama
|
State Runoff
|
Yes; originally scheduled for March 31.
|
| July 14 |
Maine |
State Primary |
Yes; originally scheduled for June 9. |
|
July 14
|
Texas
|
State Runoff
|
Yes; originally scheduled for May 26.
|
|
Aug. 4
|
Arizona
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 4
|
Kansas
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 4
|
Michigan
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 4
|
Missouri
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 4
|
Washington
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 6
|
Tennessee
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 8
|
Hawaii
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 11
|
Connecticut
|
State Primary and Presidential Primary
|
Yes; Presidential Primary was originally scheduled for April 28
|
| Aug. 11 |
Georgia |
State Runoff |
Yes; originally scheduled for July 21. |
|
Aug. 11
|
Minnesota
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 11
|
South Dakota
|
State Runoff
|
No
|
|
Aug. 11
|
Vermont
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 11
|
Wisconsin
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 18
|
Alaska
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 18
|
Florida
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 18
|
Wyoming
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Aug. 25
|
Oklahoma
|
State Runoff
|
No
|
|
Sept. 1
|
Massachusetts
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Sept. 8
|
New Hampshire
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Sept. 8
|
Rhode Island
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Sept. 15
|
Delaware
|
State Primary
|
No
|
|
Nov. 3
|
Louisiana
|
State Primary*
|
No
|
| Dec. 5 |
Louisiana |
State Runoff |
No |
*No primary for state legislative seats in 2020.
**In certain circumstances, North Carolina may hold a second primary on either April 21 or May 12.
2020 State and Presidential Primary Dates, Alphabetical
| State |
State Primary Date |
Presidential Primary Date |
|
Alabama
|
March 3*
March 31 runoff (rescheduled to July 14)
|
March 3
|
|
Alaska
|
Aug. 18
|
April 4 (Democratic only)
|
|
Arizona
|
Aug. 4
|
March 17 (Democratic only)
|
|
Arkansas
|
March 3
March 31 runoff
|
March 3
|
|
California
|
March 3
|
March 3
|
|
Colorado
|
June 30
|
March 3
|
|
Connecticut
|
Aug. 11
|
April 28 (rescheduled to August 11)
|
|
Delaware
|
Sept. 15
|
April 28 (rescheduled to July 7)
|
|
District of Columbia
|
No district-specific primary
|
June 2
|
|
Florida
|
Aug. 18
|
March 17
|
|
Georgia
|
May 19 (rescheduled to June 9)
July 21 runoff (rescheduled to August 11)
|
March 24 (rescheduled to June 9)
|
|
Hawaii
|
Aug. 8
|
April 4 (Democratic only; in-person voting cancelled and mail ballot deadline extended)
|
|
Idaho
|
May 19
|
March 10
|
|
Illinois
|
March 17
|
March 17
|
|
Indiana
|
May 5 (rescheduled to June 2)
|
May 5 (rescheduled to June 2)
|
|
Iowa
|
June 2
|
Feb. 3 (caucus)
|
|
Kansas
|
Aug. 4
|
May 2 (Democratic only; in-person voting has been cancelled and the election will be held entirely by mail)
|
|
Kentucky
|
May 19 (rescheduled to June 23)
|
May 19 (rescheduled to June 23)
|
|
Louisiana
|
Nov. 3*
|
April 4 (rescheduled to July 11)
|
|
Maine
|
June 9 (rescheduled to July 14)
|
March 3
|
|
Maryland
|
April 28 (rescheduled to June 2)
|
April 28 (rescheduled to June 2)
|
|
Massachusetts
|
Sept. 1
|
March 3
|
|
Michigan
|
Aug. 4
|
March 10
|
|
Minnesota
|
Aug. 11
|
March 3
|
|
Mississippi
|
March 10*
March 31 runoff (rescheduled to June 23)
|
March 10
|
|
Missouri
|
Aug. 4
|
March 10
|
|
Montana
|
June 2
|
June 2
|
|
Nebraska
|
May 12
|
May 12
|
|
Nevada
|
June 9
|
Feb. 22 (caucus, Democratic only)
|
|
New Hampshire
|
Sept. 8
|
Feb. 11
|
|
New Jersey
|
June 2* (rescheduled to July 7)
|
June 2 (rescheduled to July 7)
|
|
New Mexico
|
June 2
|
June 2
|
|
New York
|
June 23
|
April 28 (rescheduled to June 23)
|
|
North Carolina
|
March 3
May 12 runoff** (rescheduled to June 23)
|
March 3
|
|
North Dakota
|
June 9
|
March 10
|
|
Ohio
|
March 17 (rescheduled to April 28)
|
March 17 (rescheduled to April 28)
|
|
Oklahoma
|
June 30
August 25 runoff
|
March 3
|
|
Oregon
|
May 19
|
May 19
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
April 28 (rescheduled to June 2)
|
April 28 (rescheduled to June 2)
|
|
Rhode Island
|
Sept. 8
|
April 28 (rescheduled to June 2)
|
|
South Carolina
|
June 9
June 23 runoff
|
Feb. 29 (Democratic only)
|
|
South Dakota
|
June 2
Aug. 11 runoff
|
June 2
|
|
Tennessee
|
Aug. 6
|
March 3
|
|
Texas
|
March 3
May 26 runoff (rescheduled to July 14)
|
March 3
|
|
Utah
|
June 30
|
March 3
|
|
Vermont
|
Aug.11
|
March 3
|
|
Virginia
|
June 9* (rescheduled to June 23)
|
March 3 (Democratic only)
|
|
Washington
|
Aug. 4
|
March 10
|
|
West Virginia
|
May 12 (rescheduled to June 9)
|
May 12 (rescheduled to June 9)
|
|
Wisconsin
|
Aug. 11
|
April 7
|
|
Wyoming
|
Aug. 18
|
February-March (Republican caucus)
April 4 (Democratic caucus; in-person caucus canceled, and deadline extended to April 17 for mail-in ballots)
|
*No primary for state legislative seats in 2020.
**In certain circumstances, North Carolina may hold a second primary on either April 21 or May 12.