Washington rules force minor parties to run a presidential ticket!
Krist Novoselić (May 13, 2024)
If you’re unhappy about the 2024 presidential election, here is more bad news: I could be on the 2024 presidential ballot in Washington State. It gets worse because I do not want to run for president.
It is really about needing to run.
To be officially recognized by the state, Washington requires minor political parties to put forth a presidential ticket. This means the Cascade Party of Washington (CPW) needs to offer a candidate for president and vice president for this year’s November ballot.
This rule applies only to the Washington presidential ballot, as I am not required to run in any other state.
Huh?
So what is my path to the White House?
Washington has twelve electoral votes to offer a national presidential ticket. Even if our state party beats the odds and somehow wins the twelve Washington electors, the path to the presidency is impossible, as I will not be on the ballot in enough states (49!) to win the electors required to win.
Duh!
According to state rules, a minor political party only has the opportunity to qualify as a bona fide party once every four years. CPW seeks to get involved in local elections in 2025 and grow as a member-driven group. We cannot wait until 2028 to use the same rules for campaigns the two major parties enjoy.
Here is why establishing bona fides is important: If we don’t qualify as a political party, we are then cut off from state rules regarding party fundraising. If we don't have access to the same rules the GOP and Democrats benefit from, we'll just be another Political Action Committee. We do not need more PACs. The idea with CPW is to empower people through merging social media and political association.
We are challenging the rule compelling us onto the presidential ballot. We have sent a letter to the State which requests changes to administrative rules that force us to run for president.
Cascade Party are willing to have conventions, gather signatures and post legal notices within the 90 day period, as those rules currently stand. The State of Washington has replied to our request to change the rule specific to the presidential ballot; and has up to 60 days to consider the issue. Now is the time to contact Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and attorney General Bob Ferguson to convey your support of changing the rules. (Here is a paper on the legal matters with political association and the Washington presidential ballot.)
In the meantime, we are operating under the existing rules and are setting up presidential ballot nominating conventions around the state.
The period to gather signatures for nominating presidential candidates started May 4 and ends July 27. We are organizing conventions for June and July to gather the 1000 valid signatures needed to qualify for recognition.
The first nominating convention where we pick our candidates and twelve electors is May 29 in Seattle. I will run for the Cascade Party of Washington presidential nomination.
The State of Washington has hitched its test to qualify as a minor party to the highest office in our nation. Cascade Party are on the other end of the spectrum, organizing from the bottom up. This is a very wide chasm for the party to span.
Join our Hub to get involved — and when you become a member, please consider my candidacy for our party nominee for the November Washington presidential ballot.
CASCADE PARTY of WASHINGTON
PO Box 28004
Seattle, WA 98118