Senate Elections Committee recommends confirmation of Steven Swanson to Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board

The Minnesota Senate Elections Committee voted on Feb. 6, 2025, to recommend confirmation of Steven Swanson to the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board following a virtual appearance in which Swanson described his legal and judicial background and discussed priorities for the agency.

Swanson, testifying remotely, outlined a career that included roughly 20 years with the Minneapolis Legal Aid Society (10 years as managing attorney of the Legal Services Advocacy Project), a decade as a full‑time legislative lobbyist, about 20 years as a district court judge in Hampton County, and international rule‑of‑law assignments in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Lebanon. "I think at the top of mind, is the need to insure the corporations are not participating — either income contributions or other types of contributions — in the electoral process in Minnesota," Swanson said in response to a committee question about priorities.

The nut of the committee's action was procedural: Chair Carlson opened the floor to questions and, finding none beyond the brief exchange, called for a motion. Senator Swazinski moved that the committee recommend Swanson's appointment for confirmation; the chair put the question by voice vote and the motion carried. The committee did not record a roll‑call tally in the transcript; the clerk announced only that the motion was adopted and that Swanson's appointment was recommended for confirmation.

Committee members and staff present noted Swanson's long public service and legal expertise. Jeff Sigurdsson of the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board sat at the testifier table in the hearing room to answer committee questions if needed; he did not deliver formal remarks in the transcript beyond being introduced. Swanson thanked the committee at the close of the item.

Because this was a recommendation for confirmation, the next steps are administrative: the committee record will accompany the nomination for final action according to Senate rules. No additional formal votes or amendments related to this appointment were recorded during this meeting.

Clarifying details from Swanson's remarks included his statement he has been on the board "going on 8 years," that he served roughly 20 years with Minneapolis Legal Aid and 20 years as a district court judge, and that he spent two years living and working in Kabul on a USAID rule‑of‑law project.