HB620 Summary

• Changes election of circuit and district court judges from partisan (party-nominated) to nonpartisan elections with candidates listed without party designation on ballots.

• Requires candidates for circuit or district court judgeships to file declarations of candidacy with the Secretary of State no later than 60 days before the primary election without designating party affiliation.

• Establishes a filing fee equal to 2% of the annual state salary for the judicial office sought, deposited to the State General Fund, with option to file affidavit of indigency in lieu of payment.

• Creates a separate "Official Nonpartisan Judicial Ballot" section on ballots listing all judicial candidates in alphabetical order by surname, with multiple positions designated by consecutive numbers when applicable.

• Provides that candidates who receive majority votes in primary appear on general election ballot; non-majority candidates proceed to general election as top two vote-getters, with winner determined by highest general election votes.