(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart says Democrats have not yet decided whether to hold their Caucuses on the same night as Iowa Republicans. The Iowa G-O-P announced in July their first-in-the-nation Caucuses will be held on January 15th. Hart says she’s not going to commit to that date until the Iowa Democratic Party’s State Central Committee reaches a consensus.

“We’ve said from the very beginning that we would have the Caucuses on the same day as the Republicans,” Hart says. “I certainly would like to see that we are able to do that.”

The two major parties have typically held their Caucuses on the same night as the first voting event in presidential campaign seasons. National Democrats have decided South Carolina will vote first in 2024, followed by four other states. Iowa Republicans have secured the opening spot in their party’s 2024 nominating process. Hart says Democrats were not consulted when Republicans announced their Caucuses would be held on January 15th — the Martin Luther King, Junior holiday.

“I think in the past Republicans and Democrats have worked together on determining that date,” Hart says, “so it was disappointing that we did not have any input.”

Hart says she’s speaking with black leaders around the state to see if they are concerned the Democratic Party’s Caucuses would conflict with events to mark the Martin Luther King, Junior holiday. In 2004, Iowa Democrats and Republicans held their Caucuses on M-L-K Day. Hart made her comments during taping of the “Iowa Press” program that airs tonight (Friday) on Iowa P-B-S.