The number of signatures independent candidates need in Arizona this year is 3% of the registered voters who are not members of a qualified party (as of the March 1, 2016 tally). For 2016, statewide independents need 35,514 valid signatures. Arizona requires 20,119 valid signatures for a new party to get on the ballot. The Arizona law is irrational because it requires more signatures for a single independent candidate than for an entire new party. Yet a new party potentially adds many more candidates to the November ballot than a single independent candidate petition.

On March 28, the Secretary of State posted the March 1 registration data. Here is a link to the new data. Major party registration grew, for both major parties. Minor party and independent registration declined. The link gives the preceding tallies for purposes of comparison. The growth in Democratic and Republican registration is certainly because those parties held closed presidential primaries on March 22, giving people an incentive to join those parties.