Arizona Insists No Labels Must Allow All Contenders, Regardless of Party Leadership’s Stance

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The chief elections officer of Arizona has asserted that the No Labels party cannot prevent candidates from utilizing its ballot position to run for public office. This development strengthens the efforts of those seeking to compel the third-party political movement to disclose details about its undisclosed financiers.

A high-ranking official from the office of Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, dismissed a request by No Labels to exclude two individuals who had submitted applications to run for state positions without the endorsement of the party’s executive leadership. Notably, one of these two applicants is actively opposing No Labels and aims to force the party to adhere to Arizona’s campaign financing regulations.

The decision by Fontes is seen as a triumph for Democrats and other critics of former President Donald Trump. These critics argue that a third-party presidential bid may not secure victory but has the potential to skew the election results in favor of Trump. It should be noted that No Labels has already attained ballot status in 11 states, including Arizona, registering 15,000 voters—exceeding the margin by which President Joe Biden won in Arizona in 2020.

The Democratic Party has persistently accused No Labels of concealing the sources of its funding and has attempted to compel the group to identify its financial backers. No Labels contends that federal law does not mandate them to disclose their donor list, invoking privacy concerns as a reason for withholding this information.

In an official correspondence, Fontes’ office informed No Labels that they are mandated to accept statements of interest—the initial step in candidacy—from any individual satisfying the eligibility criteria. The letter, secured by The Big Big News, stated that refusal to accept these applications would infringe upon the applicants’ rights.

State Elections Director Colleen Connor clarified in a September 22 letter, “The Arizona Secretary of State rejects your claim that a recently recognized political party possesses the authority to deny its voters their constitutionally protected freedom of association.”

In response, No Labels has threatened legal action. The party argued that neither Arizona state law nor the U.S. Constitution obliges it to register as a political entity or disclose its financial information as it aims to contest only federal positions.

In a statement, No Labels officials Jay Nixon, a former Democratic Governor of Missouri, and Benjamin Chavis Jr., a former NAACP leader, criticized the move, stating, “This letter is driven by political motives, not by legal considerations.”

Even if No Labels initiates and subsequently loses a legal battle, the organization may still not be obligated to disclose its donors under Arizona’s intricate campaign finance laws.

According to an anonymous No Labels official, the party will formally register in Arizona if it engages in financial transactions, although it currently lacks a bank account. The group primarily finances its operations through Washington-based nonprofits.

Two potential candidates, Tyson Draper for U.S. Senate and Richard Grayson for the Corporation Commission—a state utility regulatory body—have filed as No Labels members in Arizona. Grayson, a Biden supporter, likened his strategy to a “performance art piece.”

Additionally, Grayson received confirmation from Alaska’s election authorities that he will appear on the primary ballot in that state as a No Labels candidate for the U.S. House.

Arizona, a state where Biden secured a narrow victory in 2020 through a coalition of conservative independents and moderate Republicans, is especially susceptible to disruption by a third-party ticket appealing to voters dissatisfied with both major parties. The outcome of the 2024 election is expected to hinge on a minute margin in a few battleground states, similar to previous elections.

No Labels is reportedly planning a campaign budget of $70 million, a sum unprecedented for third-party endeavors since the campaigns of Ross Perot in the 1990s, which did not secure any electoral votes.

No Labels has announced that a final decision about running a candidate will be made after the Super Tuesday primaries in March.

In Arizona, No Labels faced formidable resistance at the state level. Although the state’s Democratic Party’s initial legal attempt to bar No Labels from the ballot was unsuccessful, they later lodged a complaint urging Fontes to exclude the group until it complies with campaign finance laws.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Arizona No Labels Decision

More about Arizona No Labels Decision

• Arizona Secretary of State Official Statement
• No Labels Official Website
• Arizona Campaign Finance Laws
• Analysis: Third-Party Influence in U.S. Elections
• Arizona Democratic Party Legal Actions
• Super Tuesday Primaries
• Historical Third-Party Campaign Budgets
• 2020 Arizona Election Results