(1) On a declaration of candidacy, a candidate for partisan congressional, state, or county office may state his or her preference for a political party, or not state a preference. The candidate may use up to eighteen characters for the name of the political party. A candidate's party preference, or the fact that the candidate states no preference, must be printed with the candidate's name on the ballot and in any voters' pamphlets printed by the office of the secretary of state or a county auditor's office.

(2) If a candidate does not indicate a party that he or she prefers, then the candidate has stated no party preference and is listed as such on the ballot and in any voters' pamphlets.

(3) The filing officer may not print on the ballots, in a voters' pamphlet, or other election materials a political party name that is obscene. If the name of the political party provided by the candidate would be considered obscene, the filing officer may petition the superior court pursuant to RCW 29A.68.011 for a judicial determination that the party name be edited to remove the obscenity, or rejected and replaced with "states no party preference."

(4) A candidate's preference may not imply that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by the party, or that the party approves of or associates with that candidate. If the name of the political party provided by the candidate implies that the candidate is nominated or endorsed by a political party, or that a political party approves of or associates with that candidate, the filing officer may petition the superior court pursuant to RCW 29A.68.011 for a judicial determination that the party name be edited, or rejected and replaced with "states no party preference."