HB 1417 Summary

• Amends Arkansas Code § 7-5-106 to remove references to municipal elections from the runoff election statute, leaving runoff provisions applicable only to county elected offices, including justices of the peace.

• Amends Arkansas Code § 14-42-206 to establish nonpartisan municipal elections when cities do not request party primaries, with candidates designated as "nonpartisan municipal office candidates" appearing on political party ballots or separate ballots.

• Requires candidates to receive a majority of votes cast to be elected to nonpartisan municipal offices; if no candidate achieves a majority, the two candidates with the highest and next highest vote totals advance to a runoff election held on the same date as the November general election.

• Changes terminology throughout the statute from "independent candidate" to "nonpartisan candidate" for municipal offices in cities and towns with mayor-council forms of government.

• Prohibits candidates defeated in party primaries from filing as nonpartisan candidates in the general election for the same office.