Everything you need to know about ranked-choice voting in one spot. Click to learn more!

Auditor (state executive office)

From Ballotpedia
(Redirected from Auditor)
Jump to: navigation, search
StateExecLogo.png
State Executive Offices

Elections by Year
202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011
State Executive Analyses
Compensation
Education
Irregular office changes
Place of birth
Term limits
Trifectas and triplexes
Vacancy procedures

The auditor is a state-level position in 48 states that supervises and has administrative rights over the accounting and financial functions of the state. Additionally, auditors act as watchdogs over other state agencies, performing internal government audits, and investigating fraud allegations.

The state auditor belongs to either the executive or legislative branch, depending on the state. While both offices are similar in function, a legislative auditor functions primarily under the state legislature and is not considered a state executive office.

The auditor may be elected or appointed, depending on the state. Terms of office range from four to 10 years and may be indefinite, served at the pleasure of the appointing body. In instances where the auditor is an appointee, appointment is usually done through some form of nomination in a subcommittee of the legislature and a confirmatory vote before the General Assembly.

Some states assign the same portfolio to another state level financial officer, such as the treasurer or the comptroller.

There are a total of 23 legislative auditor offices and 33 state executive auditor offices. A total of eight states have both auditor offices.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • Auditor is a partisan position in all 24 states where it is publicly elected.
  • Appointed auditors serve as nonpartisan officials, with the exception of Connecticut, where Democrats and Republicans each have one nomination, resulting in two partisan auditors who share the office.
  • In 2023, the annual salaries for state auditors ranged from $85,000 (Nebraska) to $232,858 (California).
  • Current officeholders

    Among appointed auditors, it is common for a dedicated legislative committee to nominate an auditor, who is then confirmed by a simple majority vote of both legislative chambers. Many appointed auditors serve at the pleasure of the legislature or a specific committee charged with audits. In these states, an auditor may be removed with either a simple majority or a three-fifths vote at any time.

    Appointed auditors serve as nonpartisan officials, with the exception of Connecticut, where Democrats and Republicans each have one nomination, resulting in two partisan auditors who share the office.

    In each of the 24 states where the auditor is elected, it is a partisan position.

    Elected auditors are overwhelmingly Constitutional offices, with 20 of 24 states providing for the office in the state's Constitution.

    List of current state executive auditors


    Office Name Party Date assumed office
    Alabama Auditor Andrew Sorrell Republican January 16, 2023
    Arizona Auditor General Lindsey Perry Nonpartisan April 18, 2018
    Arkansas Auditor of State Dennis Milligan Republican January 10, 2023
    California State Auditor Grant Parks Nonpartisan January 16, 2023
    Delaware State Auditor Lydia York Democratic January 3, 2023
    Georgia State Auditor Greg Griffin Nonpartisan July 1, 2012
    Hawaii State Auditor Les Kondo Nonpartisan May 1, 2016
    Illinois Auditor General Frank J. Mautino Nonpartisan January 1, 2016
    Indiana State Examiner Paul Joyce Nonpartisan November 8, 2013
    Iowa Auditor of State Rob Sand Democratic January 1, 2019
    Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts Allison Ball Republican January 1, 2024
    Maine State Auditor Matthew Dunlap Nonpartisan November 14, 2022
    Massachusetts Auditor of the Commonwealth Diana DiZoglio Democratic January 4, 2023
    Michigan Auditor General Doug Ringler Nonpartisan 2014
    Minnesota State Auditor Julie Blaha Democratic January 1, 2019
    Mississippi State Auditor Shad White Republican 2018
    Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick Republican January 9, 2023
    Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, State Auditor James Brown Republican January 6, 2025
    Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts Mike Foley Republican January 5, 2023
    New Mexico State Auditor Joseph Maestas Democratic January 1, 2023
    North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek Republican January 1, 2025
    North Dakota State Auditor Josh Gallion Republican December 15, 2016
    Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber Republican January 11, 2019
    Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd Republican January 1, 2019
    Oregon Audits Director Steve Bergmann Nonpartisan January 13, 2025
    Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor Republican January 19, 2021
    Public Auditor of Guam Benjamin Cruz Nonpartisan September 13, 2018
    Rhode Island Auditor General David Bergantino Nonpartisan January 6, 2023
    South Carolina State Auditor Sue Moss Nonpartisan February 3, 2025
    South Dakota State Auditor Richard Sattgast Republican January 7, 2019
    Texas State Auditor Lisa Collier Nonpartisan January 5, 2016
    Utah State Auditor Tina Cannon Republican January 6, 2025
    Vermont State Auditor Doug Hoffer Democratic January 10, 2013
    Virginia Auditor of Public Accounts Staci Henshaw Nonpartisan February 1, 2021
    Washington State Auditor Pat McCarthy Democratic January 11, 2017
    West Virginia State Auditor Mark Hunt Republican January 13, 2025
    Wisconsin State Auditor Joe Chrisman Nonpartisan June 17, 2011
    Wyoming Department of Audit Director Justin Chavez Nonpartisan November 1, 2021
    Wyoming State Auditor Kristi Racines Republican January 1, 2019



    Comparison across states

    While most states that do have a statewide governmental auditor position authorize the governor to appoint an individual to the office, there are at least 24 others who have opted to have public voters select these officeholders. These states include: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

    Two states - New York and Tennessee - do not have an official auditor. Audit functions in these states mostly fall to the state comptroller.

    NevadaUtahColoradoNew MexicoWyomingArizonaMontanaCaliforniaOregonWashingtonIdahoTexasOklahomaKansasNebraskaSouth DakotaNorth DakotaMinnesotaIowaMissouriArkansasLouisianaMississippiAlabamaGeorgiaFloridaSouth CarolinaIllinoisWisconsinTennesseeNorth CarolinaIndianaOhioKentuckyPennsylvaniaNew JerseyNew YorkVermontVermontNew HampshireMaineWest VirginiaVirginiaMarylandMarylandConnecticutConnecticutDelawareDelawareRhode IslandRhode IslandMassachusettsNew HampshireMichiganMichiganAlaskaHawaiiAuditor state map.png

    Election history

    2025

    See also: State executive official elections, 2025

    No state is holding elections for auditor in 2025.

    2024

    See also: State executive official elections, 2024

    Eight states held elections for auditor in 2024:

    2023

    See also: State executive official elections, 2023

    Two states held elections for auditor in 2023:

    2022

    See also: State executive official elections, 2022

    Fifteen states held elections for auditor in 2022.

    Click here for a list of past elections (click to expand)


    See also

    External links

    Footnotes