(1) For purposes of RCW 42.17A.005, the secretary of state recognizes as a minor political party a political party whose nominees for president and vice president qualified to appear on the ballot in the last preceding presidential election according to the minor party nomination process provided in chapter 29A.56 RCW. A political party that qualifies as a minor political party retains such status until certification of the next presidential election. This definition is for purposes of chapter 42.17A RCW only.

(2) As allowed by WAC 434-215-012, 434-215-120, and 434-215-130, candidates for partisan office may state a preference for any political party and are not restricted to stating a preference for a political party that meets the definition of major or minor political party. A candidate's party preference does not imply that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by that party, or that the party approves of or associates with that candidate. With the exception of elections for president and vice president, a party's status as a major or minor political party, or a candidate's preference for a major or minor political party, plays no role in how candidates qualify to appear on the primary election ballot, qualify to appear on the general election ballot, or are elected to public office.