1.    A political committee as defined in section 16.1-08.1-01 shall register its name, mailing address, telephone number, and nongovernment issued electronic mail address, its agent’s name, mailing address, telephone number, and nongovernment issued electronic mail address, and a designation as to whether the committee is incorporated solely for the purpose of liability protection, with the secretary of state. A candidate     who does not have a candidate committee shall register the candidate’s name, mailing address, telephone number, and nongovernment issued electronic mail address with the secretary of state. If the candidate has an agent, the candidate also shall register the agent’s name, mailing address, telephone number, and nongovernment issued electronic mail address with the secretary of state. The registration required under this section for a candidate or political committee that has not previously registered with the secretary of state must be submitted within fifteen business days of the receipt of any contribution or expenditure made.

2.    A candidate or political committee required to be registered under this section must register with the secretary of state each year during which the candidate holds public office or during which the political committee receives contributions, makes expenditures for political purposes, or has a balance in the campaign account. An individual who no longer holds public office or an individual who no longer seeks public office must register with the secretary of state each year in which contributions are received, expenditures are made for political purposes, or has a balance in the campaign account.

3.    A political committee that organizes and registers according to federal law and makes an independent expenditure or makes a disbursement in excess of two hundred dollars to a nonfederal candidate seeking public office, a political party, or political committee in this state is not required to register as a political committee according to this section if the political committee reports according to section 16.1-08.1-03.7.

4.    Registration by a political committee under this section does not reserve the name for exclusive use nor does it constitute registration of a trade name under chapter 47-25.