Judge voids Arizona Independent Party name change
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A Maricopa County Superior Court judge on Wednesday voided the Arizona No Labels Party's name change to the Arizona Independent Party.
Why it matters: Arizona's unaffiliated voters (which number nearly 1.5 million) are also called independents, leading to concerns of voter confusion.
The big picture: The party's leaders say they were trying to disrupt the two-party system by making it easier for nonpartisan candidates to run for office — but critics argued the name change was intentionally misleading.
Catch up quick: The No Labels Party collected signatures to become a state party in 2023 as part of a national movement to prop up a third-party presidential ticket in 2024.
- Chair Paul Johnson, a former Phoenix mayor, rebranded No Labels to the Arizona Independent Party for the 2026 election cycle.
- The Arizona Clean Elections Commission and state Republican and Democratic parties promptly sued, alleging Secretary of State Adrian Fontes did not have the authority to approve the name change.
What they're saying: The Secretary of State can't allow a political party to change its name after collecting signatures under a different one, Judge Greg Como wrote in his ruling, calling it a "political bait and switch."
- "Would the same 41,000 people who signed petitions to recognize the No Labels Party have signed to support the 'Arizona Nazi Party' or the 'Arizona Anarchists'?"
What's next: The party will appeal, Johnson told Axios. Fontes said his office won't join it.
What we're watching: 11 Arizona Independent Party candidates qualified for this November's ballot and Johnson said he believes they'll still be allowed to run under the No Labels name, pending the appeal.
- Yes, but: He suspects the state Republican and Democratic parties will challenge that as well.
- "They hate us existing," Johnson said.
Editor's note: This story has been updated.