By Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice
OKLAHOMA CITY — The launch of Oklahoma’s updated campaign finance reporting system will be delayed, but candidate filing shouldn’t be affected, the head of the Ethics Commission said.
Lee Anne Bruce Boone, executive director of the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, said the launch of Guardian 2.0 will take place “very soon” and an official date for the site to go live will be confirmed in the “near future.”
The system, which provides public access to candidate expenditures and contributors, was set to be offline beginning Sept. 19 and launch by Wednesday, but more time was needed for “final adjustments” and to ensure data was accurately converted between the old and new software systems.
Bruce Boone said fewer than 25 people have filings due in mid-October, and her agency will work with each of them to make certain they’re able to file on time. The site also provides information about which candidates have filed ethics paperwork to run for public office and political action committees that have formed.
“As with any new system, we expect there may be minor issues at first, but our team is fully prepared to respond quickly and provide direct support,” she said.
Guardian 2.0 will make filing and public access to campaign finance information “easier, faster and more transparent,” she said.
The new system will have a new login, “modernized” visuals and a more intuitive filing experience, according to the Ethics Commission’s website.
The change in the software system is a result of the current vendor no longer supporting the old system. Guardian 2.0 will be owned by the Ethics Commission and they will no longer be “dependent” on a single vendor, Bruce Boone said.
While there may be temporary technical issues at launch, Bruce Boone said a support team will be available to assist the public and candidates filing paperwork.
