Campaign finance year-end report filing deadlines for 2024 are here for some, coming up soon for others

South Dakota Secretary of State Monae L. Johnson would like to remind candidates who participated in last year’s General Election and newly elected officials about important campaign finance deadlines that are quickly approaching.

Johnson says all political parties, candidates, political action committees, ballot question committees, and campaign committees that participated in last year’s General Election must file a Year-End Report detailing all transactions from their last report through December 31, 2024. The deadline for the Year-End Report is January 31, 2025.

• Reports for political parties, statewide and legislative candidates, political action committees, ballot question committees, and campaign committees can be submitted to the Secretary of State through the online Campaign Finance Reporting System.
• Reports for county candidates, political action committees, ballot question committees, and campaign committees should be submitted to county auditor of the county in which the relevant contest was held.

More information about the Year-End Report and other campaign finance reports can be found on the Secretary of State’s website at https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/campaign-finance/important-dates.aspx.

Johnson says all newly elected officials must also file an Elected Official Financial Interest Statement detailing any potential conflicts of interest that they may have. A newly elected official must submit an Elected Official Financial Interest Statement within fifteen (15) days of taking their oath of office.

• State officials listed in SDCL § 3-1A-2 must file their Elected Official Financial Interest Statement with the Secretary of State.
• County and local officials listed in SDCL § 3-1A-4 must file their Elected Official Financial Interest Statement with the office that received their oath of office.

A copy of the Elected Official Financial Interest Statement may be found through the embedded link.

More information on the Elected Official Financial Interest Statement can be found on the Secretary of State’s website at https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/financial-interest-statements/default.aspx.

Johnson says if reports aren’t filed on time, financial penalties may be applied.

More information about campaign finance in general can be found on the Secretary of State’s website at https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/campaign-finance/default.aspx.