Primary and caucus dates for the 2016 presidential primary elections have been announced for Nevada and South Carolina.

For the 2.79 million residents of Nevada, the Democratic National Committee announced the state's caucuses will be held on Feb. 20. Nevada will be the third state to hold a 2016 referendum, after the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. Nevada last held their caucus on Jan. 21, 2012, and President Barack Obama secured 98.3 percent of the votes.

For the 4.8 million residents in South Carolina, the DNC scheduled the primary election for Feb. 27. South Carolina held their 2012 primary election on Jan. 28, and Obama ran uncontested.

According to The Hill, the 2016 dates for Nevada and South Carolina were scheduled to help minority voters become more engaged in the voting process. Nevada's population includes more Latino voters, while South Carolina's electorate has more African-Americans than Iowa and New Hampshire. Nevada's Latino population is 27.5 percent, higher than the national average of 17.1 percent. Nevada's African-American population is 9 percent, lower than the national average of 13.2 percent. In South Carolina, the Latino population is 5.3 percent while African-Americans comprise 27.9 percent of the population.

Nevada's caucus date also accounts for the growing overall population in the western U.S. Nevada is also home to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

"That population growth includes Nevada's large and growing Hispanic population who will now have a stronger voice in the election process," noted The Nevada Caucus. "It also helps that Nevada is a small state (population-wise) and would likely be skipped over by many candidates. Nevada has very independent and balanced political views similar to New Hampshire."

In South Carolina, potential Republican presidential candidates have become more visible in the state. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, participated in a fundraiser for Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-SC, in the town of Anderson. Rubio's visit was notable for protests by supporters of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Texas Gov. Rick Perry made his second trip to South Carolina on Wednesday for a GOP fundraiser. Perry is also scheduled to attend the SEC's college football game Texas A&M Aggies vs. the University of South Carolina Gamecocks.

As Latin Post reported, Iowa will start the presidential primary process with its caucuses scheduled for Feb. 1, 2016, and the New Hampshire primary set for the following week, Feb. 9.

Primaries for remaining 46 states, will occur between March 1 and the second Tuesday of June in 2016.