RALEIGH, N.C.
The Modernization of Election Data Systems (MEDS) Commission convened for its second session on Wednesday, engaging with election officials from Mississippi and Maryland, and unveiling a strategic framework for campaign finance reform.
Brooks Fuller, Policy Director at Common Cause NC, and Andy Jackson, Director at the Civitas Center of Public Integrity, co-chaired the Subcommittee on Campaign Finance Reporting Excellence. They presented 10 guiding principles to aid the commission’s efforts in updating North Carolina’s campaign finance reporting infrastructure.
Principles for an Updated Campaign Finance System:
Cloud-Based and Portable
The system should be completely cloud-hosted, minimizing paper use, and offering secure, scalable access.
Easy and Guided Filing
Implement a user-friendly filing process that guides compliance and reduces errors.
Automated Compliance and Corrections
Incorporate evolving regulatory requirements with mechanisms for easy, trackable corrections.
Electronic Signatures
Enable electronic signatures to improve submission efficiency and lessen administrative delays.
Integration and Data Import
Facilitate data imports from common financial software to streamline processes.
Timely Transparency
Ensure rapid availability of finance data through a user-friendly dashboard with advanced search functions.
Powerful Public Search and Analytics
Provide advanced search tools for public analysis of political spending.
Automated and Simplified Communications
Create efficient communication channels between filers and administrators with automatic archiving.
Secure Data Management and Integrated Training
Protect information integrity and offer comprehensive training resources.
Modernization
Regular updates are essential to align with technological advances and legislative changes.
“These guiding principles – which come from bipartisan elections experts – mark key and quick progress in this ongoing process,” stated State Auditor Dave Boliek. “North Carolinians are ready for a faster, easier, and more secure election system, and thanks to our committee members giving their time and knowledge, we’ve initiated a new phase that involves outward action.”
The principles aim to ensure the committee focuses on delivering a system that is transparent, secure, and user-friendly.
“These principles capture bipartisan consensus that we need to replace our nearly 35-year-old paper-dependent campaign finance system with a system that is secure, cloud-based and easy to use. When we’re done, we plan to have a platform that minimizes administrative burden on staff and maximizes transparency for the people of North Carolina,” said Co-Chair Brooks Fuller.
“One of our goals is to have a system that minimizes noncompliance. It should be intuitive and provide prompts to help treasurers file reports correctly. It should also notify them when their reports have been received and accepted by the board of elections. Most noncompliance stems from mistakes rather than malfeasance, and the new system should help treasurers avoid those mistakes,” commented Co-Chair Andy Jackson.
The commission also received insights from the Mississippi Secretary of State Office and the Maryland State Board of Elections on their technological advancements. The complete meeting is accessible online.
The commission has called on the public, media, and potential candidates to share feedback via medscommission@ncauditor.gov.
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