HB6445 Bill Summary

• Changes candidate filing fee language from "a person" to "an individual" and updates statutory language from "shall" to "must" throughout the election law.

• Makes the $100 candidate filing fee nonrefundable for primary election candidates seeking county offices, eliminating the previous refund provisions for nominated candidates and those receiving the next highest vote totals.

• Redirects all collected filing fees to be deposited in the county general fund and used exclusively for the purchase and maintenance of voting equipment, rather than being refunded to successful or near-successful candidates.

• Applies these changes to Section 193 (general county office candidates) and Section 254 (county road commissioner candidates).

• Updates filing deadline language to consistently reference the fifteenth Tuesday before the August primary election.