BISMARCK, ND – North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe announced a major upgrade to North Dakota’s Campaign Finance System and launched a new Statement of Interests System on January 1, 2026. These innovative systems will enhance transparency and streamline the reporting process for candidates and office holders.
Under North Dakota law, candidates and committees that meet certain thresholds are required to file campaign finance reports with the Secretary of State’s office at specific intervals throughout the year. The upgraded Campaign Finance Reporting System will provide a user-friendly interface for reporting campaign finance donations and expenditures for political candidates and committees in accordance with North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) Chapter 16.1-08. This new system aims to simplify the compliance process, making it easier for candidates to accurately report financial activities, while providing transparency, accessibility, and accountability to the public.
The Statement of Interests System allows candidates, statewide and legislative office holders, and Governor-appointed board members to disclose their financial interests annually as part of a change for more frequent reporting passed by the 2025 Legislative Assembly in HB 1469. Statement of Interests are intended to provide the public with greater insight into potential conflicts of interest for those holding offices. This system is a vital tool for promoting accountability and maintaining public trust and will also host oaths of office in the near future for elected officials and those appointed to boards or agencies by the Governor.
Secretary of State Michael Howe emphasized the importance of these new systems in fostering a culture of transparency. "The launch of these systems marks a significant step forward in our efforts to ensure that electoral practices in North Dakota remain open, transparent, and accountable. We are committed to providing the necessary tools and resources to support candidates and office holders in fulfilling their reporting obligations. Our new systems are poised to change with transparency laws into the future."
Both sites provide easy access and searchability of information related to campaign finance contributions and expenditures. The public can visit www.Vote.ND.gov for more information about candidate and committee campaign disclosure requirements.
The new Campaign Finance Reporting System can be found at: https://CFRS.sos.nd.gov
The new Statement of Interests Reporting System can be found at: https://SOI.sos.nd.gov
Statewide, legislative and judicial candidates, office holders and committees, as well as board members appointed by the Governor must file in the online systems with the Office of the Secretary of State. All county, city, school board and park board candidates and office holders must file paper forms (SFN 53970 and SFN 10172) with their respective local filing officers.
Media and interested public are invited to attend a demonstration and Q&A session related to using the public search capabilities of both sites from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, January 26, 2026. A link to join the virtual demonstration will be available at Vote.ND.gov by January 16, 2026.
News Release PDF - Secretary of State Launches New Transparency Filing Systems for Campaign Finance and Statement of Interests