Submitted by the Office of the Secretary of State

“My office has received numerous media inquiries on whether RCW 29A.68.020 can be applied to the election of a president of the United States. Although any such determination would have to be made by a court, I do not believe states can add to the requirements set in the U.S. Constitution for candidates for president.

“Additionally, RCW 29A.56.360 provides both major political parties until August 20 to submit their nominees for president and vice president to appear on the November 5 General Election ballot. Neither has submitted nominees yet. This statute also requires that the secretary of state certify the names of presidential candidates who are nominated by a major party.”

Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees areas within state government including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office operates the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, and administers the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees and the Productivity Board state employee suggestion program. The Office of the Secretary of State also oversees the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.