2024 election dates to know: Joe Biden, Donald Trump and other White House hopefuls face off

It’s officially 2024, which means another presidential election is upon us. In the coming months, Americans will head to the polls multiple times to choose the next president of the United States.

Voters will first cast ballots in primary races and caucuses to pick the Republican and Democratic Party nominees. In the Republican race, former President Donald Trump is dominating his GOP rivals and expected to clinch the party nomination. And barring major shakeups, President Joe Biden is likely to be the Democratic choice come November, teeing up a 2020 general election rematch between the two opponents.

However, the road to the general election is long and dotted with hurdles candidates have to clear. Mark your calendars with these must-know presidential election dates as the race heats up.

Jan. 15: Iowa Republican caucus

The Iowa caucuses are the first event of the 2024 election season. Republican voters will gather in meetings held by local political parties to vote for their favored candidate.

Polls from mid-December show Trump with a double-digit lead in Iowa over other Republican hopefuls. Iowa Democrats will hold caucuses on Jan. 15, but they will not vote because of a change in the party’s national calendar. Democrats across the state can submit mail-in ballots until March 5, when results are set to be released.

Jan. 23: New Hampshire primary

The Granite State primary could be a turning point in the 2024 race. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has seen growing support in the state, and pollsters and pundits are watching closely to see whether she will scrap together a win against Trump to build momentum heading into other crucial primaries.

In the Democratic race, President Joe Biden won’t appear on the New Hampshire ballot due to a dispute between the state and the Democratic Party. State Democratic leaders are organizing a write-in effort to support the president, but his victory isn’t guaranteed.

Feb. 3: South Carolina Democratic primary

The Democratic Party moved South Carolina to the front of its primary calendar to amplify more diverse voices earlier in the 2024 race. The state gave Biden his first win in the 2020 Democratic primary and could serve as a bellwether of voter enthusiasm for his reelection bid.

Feb. 6: Nevada Democratic primary

Nevada will hold the second sanctioned Democratic contest in 2024 and could also serve as a general election indicator.

That's because the swing state's growing Latino population is viewed as an important voting bloc in the general election. Biden won 2 to 1 among Hispanic voters against Trump nationally in 2020, but a new USA TODAY/Suffolk University survey shows Biden 5 percentage points behind Trump among the demographic group.

Feb. 8: Nevada Republican caucus

Nevada Republican voters will have two ways to vote in February – a caucus and a primary. The state typically holds a caucus, but legislators passed a law in 2021 mandating that it hold a primary if more than one candidate files. The state’s GOP has decided to carry on with its caucus anyway and will award delegates based on the outcome of that race.

Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and other longshot candidates will participate in the caucus. Haley will participate in the primary and won’t be eligible to receive delegates.

Feb. 24: Republican South Carolina primary

Depending on the results of the New Hampshire primary, all eyes are likely to be on Haley in the South Carolina primary. While Haley is a former governor in the state, Trump still has a double-digit lead over his GOP rivals.

March 5: Super Tuesday

Super Tuesday is when the greatest number of states hold their primaries and caucuses. The GOP will award nearly half of its delegates after Super Tuesday.

States holding contests on the date include Alabama, Arkansas, Alaska, California, Colorado, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Virginia.

Summer brings party conventions

During the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, candidates will be awarded the delegates they won in each state contest, and each party will officially choose their nominee. They will also formally choose vice presidential candidates and adopt policy platforms for the general election.

The Republican National Convention will be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Democratic National Convention will be in Chicago. The events are scheduled for July and August:

• July 15-18: Republican National Convention

• Aug. 19-22: Democratic National Convention

Nov. 5: General Presidential election

The 2024 race will culminate in November when voters across the country choose between Democratic, Republican and third-party tickets.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Presidential primary schedule: Trump, Biden seek reelection in 2024