Campaign Finance in North Dakota
Join us for an overview of campaign finance in North Dakota: what it is, why it's important, and how to find out who's funding your candidates. You'll also learn more about the League's position and work on Money in Politics.​​​
Why Is Campaign Finance Important?
Most of us have seen a candidate's campaign ad trying to convince us to vote for them. To create the ad and get it in front of voters, it takes money. This funding for their campaign can come from many different places, like small donors or a political party.
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Money influences politics. It influences which people have the ear of candidates, because they need money to run for office. Citizens, lobbyists, organizations, and businesses want to influence the candidate's actions if they are elected to office.​​
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This is why it's important to know where a candidate's funding comes from. From local to federal offices, most candidates are required to file a campaign finance report to disclose who donated to their campaign and how they spent their money.
ND Campaign Finance
Most candidates for public office in North Dakota are required to file regular reports of the donations to their campaign and a year-end report that includes their campaign expenditures. These reports help the public know where candidates' funding is coming from and how they spent their campaign funds.
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In North Dakota, candidates must report the total list of donations to their campaign and a list of the people who donate more than $200 during a reporting period. If someone contributes $100 to a campaign in March and $150 in April, the candidate would report their name and information because they donated more than $200 total during the reporting period.
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These reports are available online for state candidates and open to the public to request for local candidates. Journalists regularly request the information, especially for hotly contested races.
Who's Funding Your Candidates?
Candidates in North Dakota have to file campaign finance reports, except for those in smaller cities, counties, and school districts. To find your candidate's campaign finance report, here's where to look:
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School Board Candidates: file with the district's School Business Manager
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City Candidates: file with the City Auditor
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County Candidates: file with the County Auditor
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State, Legislative, and Judicial Candidates: file with the Secretary of State. Click the button below to search the state's online system.​​​
Lacking Enforcement
In North Dakota, candidates are required to report their campaign donations and expenditures, but our laws have don't have a strong enforcement mechanism.
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If a candidate misses a deadline to report their campaign finances, they pay anywhere from $25 - $100, depending on how late they file. But what if they don't file a report at all?​ The Secretary of State's office administers the reports, but their office doesn't enforce compliance besides charging the minimal fee.
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Some state lawmakers aimed to increase compliance through House Bill 1377, which was the final bill on the floor of the 2025 Legislative Session. It would have increased the late fees for filing reports late and required the Secretary of State to publish the late filer's info on their website. (The bill failed to pass.)​
ND Campaign Finance Fun Facts:
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There are no limits to individual campaign donations in North Dakota.
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Corporations can't make contributions for political purposes, but they can spend money to promote the passage or defeat of a ballot measure or make an independent expenditure for a political purpose.
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Candidates must report their own donations to their campaign.​​
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Campaign finance reports are required even if a candidate received no contributions in the reporting period.
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You can donate up to $200 to a candidate in a year, and the candidate is not required to report your name or contact information.​​​​​​
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North Dakota state legislative candidates in contested races for the 2024 General Election raised on average $20,588. Several candidates raised around $1,000 for the year, and one candidate raised over $110,000.
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Good news for transparency! The Secretary of State's budget includes funding for a new campaign finance system which will make it easier for candidates to file and for citizens to search for filed reports.
ND Ethics Commission
In 2018, North Dakota voters approved a ballot measure to add a state ethics commission to our constitution to strengthen the confidence of the people of North Dakota in their government, and to support open, ethical, and accountable government
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In Article XIV, Section 3 of our state constitution, it gives the ethics commission the authority to adopt rules for North Dakota candidates for public office related to transparency, corruption, elections, and lobbying.
The League's Work on Money in Politics
Our campaign finance system should maximize people’s participation in the political process, promote transparency about the sources of money, combat corruption, and level the playing field so the competition is more equitable.
Advocating for Financial Transparency and Ethics
The League works with coalition partners, grassroots organizers, and everyday Americans to promote policies that would make our campaign finance system more transparent and less entangled with dark money. These include bills that would shine a light on the influence of money in elections and increase financial transparency.
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Litigation
Leagues across the country are fighting cases and promoting legislation to oppose dark money and increase financial transparency in our elections. Learn more in the LWVUS Legal Center.
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Read the League's policy position on Money in Politics (page 48).
North Dakota Resources
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LWVND Campaign Finance Info for Candidates
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ND Secretary of State:
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Search ND Campaign Finance Statements
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State Constitution Article XIV
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State Law: ND Century Code 16.1-08.1​​​​