The New Alliance Party was founded in New York in 1979 by Fred Newman, and it has undergone many transformations during its lifetime. As a minor party, it made history when it placed its presidential nominee, Lenora Fulani, on the ballot in all 51 jurisdictions in 1988. It also got her on the ballot in 40 jurisdictions in 1992.

In 1994, the party dissolved itself and reformed as the Patriot Party, together with some Ross Perot supporters. Then, in 1995, when Ross Perot created the Reform Party, the Patriot Party dissolved itself and went into the Reform Party. But the core of the original New Alliance organization kept a somewhat separate existence, and became a pressure group called the Committee for a Unified Independent Party. Many years later, it morphed into Independent Voting, which held itself out as the defender of independent voters.

Now, Independent Voting, a non-profit organization, is dissolving itself. Jackie Salit, who led the organization after Fred Newman, continues work at the Arizona State University Center for an Independent and Sustainable Democracy.

Leaders of the New Alliance Party were responsible for persuading Congressman John Conyers to introduce a bill in Congress to outlaw restrictive state ballot access laws in federal elections. The bill was also introduced in 1987 and 1989 by Conyers, and then later it was introduced in two sessions of Congress by Congressman Tim Penny. After that, it was introduced in four more sessions of Congress by Ron Paul. In 1998 it received a vote on the House floor and received 67 “Aye” votes. It is possible a similar bill will be introduced this year.