(Columbia-AP) July 14, 2005 - Governor Mark Sanford on Thursday asked the State Ethics Commission to speed up adoption of an electronic campaign finance disclosure system.

The system would make the reports available on the Internet, making it easier for people to analyze campaign fund-raising and spending. Lawmakers approved the money for a electronic filing system in May.

The commission's executive director Herb Hayden has said it is unlikely the system will be ready for the 2006 elections because it would take so much time for public bids and implementation.

Sanford says an online system could be running sooner if the state bypass that process and instead used an existing state contract with South Carolina Interactive, a subsidiary of NIC Incorported in Olathe, Kansas. That company signed a contract in April to redesign the state's Website.

Posted 10:12pm by BrettWitt