State elections board selects vendor for campaign finance reporting overhaul
The North Carolina State Board of Elections has selected ReFrame Solutions to replace the state’s campaign finance reporting system, awarding the company a $2.2 million contract for a new platform intended to improve filing, disclosure and public access.
The board announced the vendor selection Thursday, saying the current system is more than 20 years old and was built for the Microsoft Windows operating system. State elections officials said the existing system is not compatible with Mac systems and lacks modern features for candidates, treasurers, election workers and members of the public.
The new system is expected to be cloud-based and include guided filing, electronic signatures, data imports and a public portal for campaign finance reports. Elections officials said the goal is to make it easier for candidates and political committees to comply with state law while improving the public’s ability to search and track political money.
In July 2025, the General Assembly provided $15 million to the State Board for modernization of the State Election Information Management System and the campaign finance reporting system.
The vendor selection also comes as the state looks toward a broader shift in how campaign finance reports are filed. According to the State Board, the Campaign Finance Reporting System Modernization Committee has recommended that lawmakers require electronic filing through the new system for all candidates beginning with the 2028 election cycle.
State Board Executive Director Sam Hayes called the selection “a significant step forward for elections and campaign reporting in North Carolina,” saying the agency wants a system that is secure and accurate while also easier for filers and the public to use.
The project has a clear election-administration and public-accountability impact because campaign finance reports are a primary way voters, journalists and watchdogs track political spending and fundraising. State officials said the new system is being designed around transparency, security, speed, usability, searchability and tracking.
Editor’s note:
This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.
