HB602 Summary

• Changes circuit and district court judge elections from partisan (with party designations) to nonpartisan elections with no party affiliation displayed on ballots.

• Requires candidates for circuit or district court judgeships to file a declaration of candidacy with the Secretary of State at least 60 days before the primary election.

• Establishes a qualifying fee of 2 percent of the annual state salary for the judicial office sought, to be deposited into the State General Fund, with alternative option to file affidavit of indigency.

• Creates a separate "Official Nonpartisan Judicial Ballot" section listing all judicial candidates in alphabetical order by surname, with candidates listed under specific place numbers when multiple positions are available.

• Requires candidates receiving a majority of votes in the primary to still appear on the general election ballot; if no majority is reached, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election.