HB 231 - Nonpartisan Elections for State Attorneys and Public Defenders

• Redesignates the offices of State Attorney and Public Defender as nonpartisan offices, removing them from partisan election requirements

• Establishes same qualifying procedures for State Attorney and Public Defender candidates as judicial candidates, including qualifying fee of 3% of annual salary plus 1% election assessment, or qualification by petition requiring 1% of registered electors' signatures

• Requires ballot listings for State Attorney and Public Defender candidates to identify the applicable judicial circuit and lists candidates in alphabetical order

• Prohibits political parties and partisan political organizations from endorsing, supporting, or assisting candidates for State Attorney or Public Defender, with violations constituting a second-degree misdemeanor

• Prevents unopposed candidates for State Attorney or Public Defender from appearing on ballots, and allows write-in space for these offices if a qualified write-in candidate has registered

• Takes effect July 1, 2017