Krist Novoselić, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West have qualified as candidates of the eight minor parties and one independent candidate who will appear on the general election ballot in Washington this November. Unless there is opposition, they will run alongside the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates.
Candidates from minor parties and independents qualified for the general election after collecting 1,000 signatures at a state convention this year. The parties and candidates were notified of their qualifications for the ballot in Washington on Tuesday.
The Republican Party, which held its convention in July, has nominated former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance as its presidential nominees. The Democratic Party confirmed its presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, and her running mate Tim Walz as its nominees earlier this month.
At stake are Washington’s 12 electoral college votes. Novoselić has said he is only running so that a new centrist party, the Cascade Party of Washington, can be recognized as a genuine minor political party in the state.
The smaller parties, presidential candidates and vice-candidates are:
- We, the People’s Party: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Nicole Shanahan
- Green Party: Jill Stein, Samson LeBeau Kpadenou
- Party for Socialism and Liberation: Claudia De la Cruz, Karina Garcia
- Socialist Workers Party: Rachele Fruit, Dennis Richter
- Socialist Equality Party: Joseph Kishore, Jerry White
- Libertarian Party: Chase Oliver, Mike ter Maat
- Cascade Party: Krist Novoselic, James Carroll
- Justice for All Party: Cornel West, Melina Abdullah
- Independent Candidate: Shiva Ayyadurai, Crystal Ellis
Objections to their nominations must be filed in Thurston County Superior Court within five days of the candidates’ notification. The Democratic Party in Washington is challenging Kennedy’s nomination, claiming the signatures were not collected at a party convention, according to the Washington State Standard.
General election ballots will be mailed on October 18 and must be returned by November 5. On this ballot, Washington voters will also choose the winners of eight statewide elections, including governor, attorney general, U.S. senator, all members of Congress, and a large portion of the state legislature. They can also vote on statewide ballot measures.
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