While the Federal Election Commission has responsibility for enforcing federal campaign finance laws, 50 different agencies handle those duties at the state level. This interview is part of a series – “The State of Disclosure: Campaign Finance Enforcement Across America” – examining how the officials responsible for transparency in each state handle those duties.
Jeff Sigurdson is the executive director of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, where he oversees three core programs: campaign finance reporting for state-level candidates, lobbying disclosure, and the economic interest statement program.
He had worked for more than 30 years with candidates, political parties, lobbyists and public officials to ensure accurate reporting and to make political finance information accessible to the public.
“We’re starting to see people discouraged and disillusioned by the process, because there isn’t enough disclosure on the ultimate source of funding,” Sigurdson says.
Sigurdson has spent his entire career in public service. After earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Wyoming and a master’s degree in public administration, he worked for 10 years in the Elections Division of the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office. He then went on to join the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, where he served in senior roles before being appointed executive director in 2016, and has since focused on promoting transparency in campaign finance.
Sigurdson took some time to share his perspective on Minnesota’s campaign finance system and the importance of ensuring voters have a clear understanding of how money flows through elections.
