Lawsuit Filed to Reverse Arizona Independent Party Name Change

The Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission has filed a lawsuit against Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, arguing that the recent name change of the Arizona Independent Party is not authorized under law and will lead to voter confusion. The name change went into effect this week.

Local media has reported the complaint was filed December 2 and alleges the new name conflates the party with the status of “independent voter,” a term used in Arizona to describe unaffiliated voters. According to KJZZ, the Citizens Clean Elections Commission claims the use of “independent” in a party name undermines the term’s established meaning and will likely “cause widespread voter confusion during registration, petition-signing, qualifying contributions, and primary-ballot selection in the 2026 cycle.”

The commission also opposes the change because it claims state law does not clearly authorize a recognized party to simply rename itself. In a statement referenced in the report, the commission argued existing statutes allow for the recognition of new parties but not the rebranding of existing ones into something entirely different.

The Arizona Independent Party, in turn, has filed a response in court, arguing that the name change is within its rights and essential to providing unaffiliated voters with a viable third party option. Johnson told KJZZ that any suggestion of intentional confusion is inaccurate, and that the organization is “opening up the door to independents and unaffiliates” who have been otherwise pushed out by the state’s major parties.

The name change request was originally made over the summer by Paul Johnson, a former Phoenix mayor who became the party’s new state chair. After assuming the role, Johnson sought to rebrand the party, using its ballot access as a method for providing a lower-barrier path for unaffiliated and independent candidates to access the ballot. Under state law, unaffiliated candidates must collect petition signatures equaling 3% of all registered voters not affiliated with a recognized party, compared to just 0.5% of members for candidates running under an established label.

Johnson also polled members on what the organization’s new name should be before ultimately deciding on the Arizona Independent Party, though other names were considered, including the Liberty Party, Reform Party, and Forward Party.

Prior to that, the Arizona affiliate was associated with the national No Labels organization, functioning as its state chapter when the national group sought to field a 2024 presidential unity ticket. After the national organization ended its efforts, the Arizona affiliate, which was one of the few state operations with ballot access, sought to nominate down-ballot candidates.

That attempt led to a legal battle, where a federal district court initially sided with the national group in blocking the filings. The Ninth Circuit later reversed that ruling, holding that state-recognized party members have the right to recruit candidates and participate in elections. Following the decision, the Arizona organization continued operating independently, and the national No Labels organization ceased involvement.

The organization has since partnered with the Forward Party for the 2026 election cycle, announcing in November that the two groups plan to jointly recruit, support, and endorse candidates in an effort to amplify independent and unaffiliated voices.