Arizona judge denies Democrats’ challenge to exclude third party from 2024 ballot.
An Arizona Judge Rejects Democratic Party’s Lawsuit Against No Labels Party
An Arizona judge has dismissed the Democratic Party’s lawsuit against the recently established No Labels Party, causing concern among Democrats who fear it may bolster former President Donald Trump’s chances of returning to the White House.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Katherine Cooper stated in her decision on Monday that Secretary of State Adrian Fontes had officially recognized No Labels as a political party earlier this year. Judge Cooper rejected the Democrats’ claims of deficiencies in No Labels’ paperwork but left open the possibility for the Democrats to refile the lawsuit with new arguments.
No Labels describes itself as a centrist party and aims to gain ballot access in multiple states. They plan to run a bipartisan “unity ticket” for president if the two major parties nominate candidates who are excessively divisive.
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Opponents of No Labels, including Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans, worry that a candidate from the party may not be able to win but could potentially tip the scales in favor of Trump or a Trump-like Republican.
No Labels has already gained ballot access in several states, including Alaska, Colorado, and Oregon. However, the stakes are particularly high in Arizona, a battleground state that President Joe Biden won in 2020 by a slim margin of just over 10,000 votes.
In their case, Democrats argued that the signed petition to place No Labels on the Arizona ballot used misleading phrasing. They claimed that the petition should have stated that “the signers thereof be recognized as a new political party” instead of “the assigners of the attached petitions.” The judge ruled that there is no statutory requirement for the exact wording used in the affidavit.
Following Judge Cooper’s ruling, No Labels leaders Benjamin Chavis Jr. and Jay Nixon expressed their satisfaction, stating, “This is an important win for American democracy and a testament to the power of over 41,000 Arizona voters who signed to give No Labels ballot access in Arizona.”
When the Democrats initially filed their lawsuit against No Labels, they criticized the party for not adhering to the rules for political party recognition and accused them of attempting to be placed on the ballot alongside legitimate political parties. They demanded transparency regarding the organization’s donors and questioned their motives.
The Arizona Democratic Party has also filed a complaint with the secretary of state’s office, seeking to force No Labels to disclose its donors or risk losing its status as a political party.
Democratic strategist James Carville expressed skepticism about No Labels, highlighting their lack of transparency regarding funding and their refusal to take a position on any issues. Despite this, he acknowledged their appeal as a fresh alternative for the American people.
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