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Arkansas Auditor of State
| Arkansas Auditor of State | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $95,694 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $69,514,215 |
| Term limits: | Two terms |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Four years |
| Authority: | Constitution of Arkansas, Amendment 63, Article 6 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Arkansas Auditor of State
Dennis Milligan | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 3, 2026 |
| Last election: | November 8, 2022 |
| Other Arkansas Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Secretary • Insurance Commissioner • Commissioner of State Lands • Natural Resources Exec. Director • Labor Director • Public Service Commission | |
The Arkansas Auditor of State is a state executive position in the Arkansas state government. According to the office's official website, the auditor "acts as the general accountant for the State, keeping track of all fund and appropriation balances of all state agencies, and writing the warrants (checks) in payment of the liabilities of the State." The auditor also manages the state's unclaimed property division.[1]
Current officeholder
The current Arkansas Auditor of State is Dennis Milligan (R). Milligan assumed office in 2023.
Authority
The office of auditor is established by Amendment 63 to Article 6 of the Arkansas Constitution.[2]
Constitution of Arkansas, Amendment 63
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The Executive Department of this State shall consist of a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Auditor, Treasurer of State, Auditor of State, Attorney General and Commissioner of State Lands, all of whom shall keep their offices at the seat of government, and hold their offices for the term of four (4) years, and until their successors are elected and qualified. |
Qualifications
The Arkansas Constitution requires all elected or appointed officeholders to be an elector, which means they must fulfill the state's voter registration requirements -- be a U.S. citizen, a resident of Arkansas, and at least 18 years old. Felons and citizens judged to be mentally incompetent by a court are ineligible to vote and, by extension, to hold office.
Other requirements to complete a voter registration form -- essentially, qualifications to be an elector -- are given by Amendment 59, Section 6 of the constitution.
Incumbents may not hold any other state, federal, or civil office, and may not have ever been convicted of "embezzlement of public money, bribery, forgery, or other infamous crime."
Constitution of Arkansas, Article 19, Section 3
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No persons shall be elected to, or appointed to fill a vacancy in, any office who does not possess the qualifications of an elector. |
Constitution of Arkansas, Article 5, Section 9
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No person hereafter convicted of embezzlement of public money, bribery, forgery or other infamous crime, shall be eligible to the General Assembly or capable of holding any office of trust or profit in this State. |
Constitution of Arkansas, Amendment 51, Section 6
|
(6) The mail voter registration application form shall include the following questions along with
boxes for the applicant to check "yes" or "no" in response: |
Elections
Arkansans elect their auditor for four-year terms during federal midterm election years (2006, 2010, 2014, etc.). Auditors of state, like all Arkansas executives, served two-year terms until 1982, when Amendment 63 to the Constitution of Arkansas increased the term length to its current level. The first elections held under the new system occurred in 1986, and every four years since.[3]
Term limits
Auditors of state, like all Arkansas executives, face an absolute limit of two terms in office.[4]
2022
- See also: Arkansas Auditor election, 2022
General election
General election for Arkansas Auditor of State
Dennis Milligan defeated Diamond Arnold-Johnson and Simeon Snow in the general election for Arkansas Auditor of State on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Dennis Milligan (R) | 66.8 | 595,166 |
| Diamond Arnold-Johnson (D) | 29.0 | 258,154 | ||
 | Simeon Snow (L)  | 4.2 | 37,825 | |
| Total votes: 891,145 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Diamond Arnold-Johnson advanced from the Democratic primary for Arkansas Auditor of State.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Dennis Milligan advanced from the Republican primary for Arkansas Auditor of State.
Libertarian convention
Libertarian convention for Arkansas Auditor of State
Simeon Snow advanced from the Libertarian convention for Arkansas Auditor of State on February 20, 2022.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Simeon Snow (L) |
| ||||
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Past elections
Vacancies
Per Article 6, Section 22 of the Arkansas Constitution, when the office of auditor becomes vacant "by death, resignation, or otherwise," the governor appoints a replacement to complete the unexpired term.
Duties
The auditor acts as the state's general accountant and supervises all fund and appropriation balances of all state agencies, in addition to writing the warrants, or checks, used to pay the state's liabilities. The auditor's office ensures the solvency of each state agency and "makes sure each agency appropriation has a sufficient balance before the warrants are released."[1] It also acts as disbursing officer for some federal funds destined for state judicial or legislative actors, including judges, the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The auditor also sits on the State Board of Finance, the Commercial Mobile Radio Services/Emergency Telephone Services Board and the Boards of Continuing Education for County and Circuit Clerks, County Treasurers and County Collectors. He or she is also an ex- officio board member of the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System and the Arkansas Teachers Retirement System.
In addition to his or her other duties, the auditor also manages the state's unclaimed property division; it holds such property for three years before depositing that property in the state's general fund.
Divisions
As of January 7, 2021, divisions within the auditor's office included:[5]
- Unclaimed Property
- Accounting
- Administration
- Data Processing
- Warrants
State budget
- See also: Arkansas state budget and finances
The budget for the Arkansas Auditor of State's Office in Fiscal Year 2025 was $69,514,215.[6]
Compensation
The compensation of all state constitutional officers is set by Amendment 70 to the Arkansas Constitution. Salaries can be adjusted each year by the Arkansas State Legislature, though salary increases cannot exceed the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index.[7]
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $95,694, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $95,694, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2021
In 2021, the auditor received a salary of $92,906, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2020
In 2020, the auditor received a salary of $91,533 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2019
In 2019, the auditor received a salary of $89,300 according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2018
In 2018, the auditor received a salary of $85,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2017
In 2017, the auditor received a salary of $85,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2016
In 2016, the auditor’s salary was increased to $85,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2015
In 2015, the auditor received a salary $54,848 according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2014
In 2014, the auditor received a salary of $54,305 according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2013
In 2013, the auditor received a salary of $54,305 according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
2010
In 2010, the auditor received a salary of $54,594 according to the Council of State Governments.[19]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Arkansas Auditor of State has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Arkansas State Auditor. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact info
Physical address:
500 Woodlane St, Ste 230
Little Rock, RA 77201
Phone: (501) 682-6030
See also
| Arkansas | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Arkansas State Auditor, "About Our Office," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Arkansas Constitution, "Amendment 63," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Arkansas Constitution, "Amendment 63, Section 1," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Arkansas Constitution, "Amendment 73, Section 1b," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Arkansas Auditor of State, "Contact Us," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, "Funded Budget - Fiscal Year 2025," accessed January 15, 2025
- ↑ Arkansas Constitution, "Amendment 70," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2020," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2010, Table 4.11," accessed May 20, 2011
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