Minnesota Agencies

Administers campaign finance disclosure for state candidates; economic interest disclosure for state and metropolitan public officials, and for local officials in metropolitan governmental units; lobbyist registrations; and public subsidy of state candidates and political party committees.

The Board has gone by several different names over the years. It was originally established by the state legislature in 1974 as the State Ethics Commission. It was charged with the administration of the Ethics in Government Act, Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 10A.

In 1975 (Chap. 271, Sec. 6) the Ethics Commission was changed to the Ethical Practices Board.

Later it's name changed from the Ethical Practices Board, effective 1 July 1997, to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. The Board's four major programs are campaign finance registration and disclosure, public subsidy administration, lobbyist registration and disclosure, and economic interest disclosure by public officials.

The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board is composed of six members. The governor must appoint the members with the advice and consent of three-fifths of both the senate and the house of representatives acting separately.

Minnesota Public Radio reported on August 2, 2016 that the board "named Jeffrey Sigurdson the day-to-day leader of the campaign finance regulatory agency. He is due to take over later this month when current executive director Gary Goldsmith retires from the role."

A July 5, 2016 news story reports that Gary Goldsmith, executive director of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, will be stepping down from his role as soon as a replacement can be named, but ideally before September, 2016.