Cascade Party Qualifies as a Minor Party

Washington Secretary of State Approves Request to Omit Presence on 2024 Presidential Ballot
(August 26, 2024)

The Cascade Party of Washington (CPW) has qualified as an official minor party in the state. This designation grants CPW access to campaign finance rules that govern the major parties in Washington.

To qualify as a minor party, CPW held a series of conventions at locations across the state, combining elements of a political gathering with celebrations of music and civic engagement. According to state rules, a minor political party only has the opportunity to qualify as a bona fide party once every four years.

The party successfully met state-mandated petition requirements, collecting 1,812 valid signatures from Washington State voters out of 2,372 submitted. Cascade is recognized as a bona fide minor political party for the next four years.

Notably, the Washington Secretary of State approved CPW's appeal to withdraw from the 2024 presidential ballot. CPW Chair Krist Novoselic expressed relief, stating, “I believe strongly in respecting the integrity of the ballot.” He further noted, “There was also the potential for controversy and misunderstanding. By not appearing on the 2024 Washington presidential ballot, we can avoid those complications.”

Statewide conventions held a prominent role in achieving Washington voter support. Recalling the convention effort, Board member Erik Raistakka stated “It was a great opportunity to talk with community members and validate our beliefs that people are looking for civil, common sense alternatives in politics. Throughout the conventions we have been consistent with our message: our goal was to meet the state requirements and then focus on building a party to support candidates in local elections beginning in 2025.”

The Cascade Party does not have candidates running in the 2024 Washington election, choosing rather to focus on developing its innovative HumHub party membership forum. With the November elections poised to dominate the political landscape, CPW aims to focus on its future, working toward organizing a convention in 2025.

CASCADE PARTY of WASHINGTON
PO Box 28004
Seattle, WA 98118
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