The short list of cities to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention has been narrowed down to Boston, Denver, and Philadelphia, the Democratic Party announced on Thursday.
Notably, the announcement left out Chicago and Atlanta as finalists. It was unclear why they were excluded from the short list. Chicago last hosted the Democratic National Convention in 2024 and Atlanta in 1988.
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The party will choose one of the three finalist cities to host its next presidential convention before the year is over.
“Each city presented strong bids to host an inspiring celebration of our party’s future nominee and a critical step on our path to retaking the White House,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin posted on X. “We look forward to continuing to work with them as the DNC makes a final selection over the coming months.”
Party officials previously visited all five cities this year to survey possible sites for the convention, which is scheduled for Aug. 7-10, 2028.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens strongly criticized the committee’s decision to snub his city, considering Atlanta has not hosted the convention in nearly 40 years.
“They are afraid to leave their comfort zone and blind to the fact that the South is the answer,” Dickens wrote in a letter addressed to Atlanta, the South, and all Democrats. “They are abandoning Atlanta, abandoning the South, and once again abandoning Black voters.”
The last Democratic presidential conventions that were held in Boston, Denver, and Philadelphia occurred in 2004, 2008, and 2016, respectively.
There is no clear Democratic presidential primary field yet. The convention will serve as an opportunity for the Democratic voter base to rally around whoever the party’s nominee will be. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), and former Vice President Kamala Harris are among the speculated contenders.
Last weekend, the committee selected South Carolina as the first state that will vote in the 2028 presidential primary process. South Carolina is scheduled to hold its primary on Jan. 22, 2028.
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Meanwhile, the 2028 Republican National Convention will take place in Houston. The exact dates have not been announced yet.
For the midterm elections this year, the Republican Party is busy organizing a Sept. 9-10 national convention in Dallas. The event was announced by President Donald Trump, who wishes to boost voter turnout in November to help Republicans retain control of Congress. The Democratic Party is not hosting a 2026 midterm convention.
