LITTLE ROCK — A bill to make prosecuting attorney elections in Arkansas nonpartisan cleared the House on Wednesday in a 63-24 vote.

House Bill 1855 by Rep. Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado, is Shepherd’s second piece of legislation on prosecuting attorney elections. He filed HB 1855 after his earlier bill on the topic, HB 1412, failed in the House last month in a 40-50 vote.

The earlier bill would have made prosecuting attorney elections nonpartisan and would have required they be held in May, when nonpartisan judicial elections are held. It also would have called for runoff elections in both types of races to be held in June instead of November, when runoffs in nonpartisan elections are held now.

Shepherd told House members Wednesday that because of concerns raised about moving the date of judicial runoff elections, his new bill would leave all nonpartisan runoffs in November.

The bill goes to the Senate.