Guam Public Auditor
| Guam Public Auditor | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | 1 GCA Ch. 19 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Public Auditor of Guam
Benjamin Cruz | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 7, 2028 |
| Last election: | November 5, 2024 |
| Other Guam Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Attorney General • Public Auditor • Consolidated Commission on Utilities • Education Board | |
The public auditor of Guam is an elected state officer who administers and manages public funds and programs. The public auditor's office provides assessments of the Guam government's financial and operating activities.[1]
Current officeholder
The current Public Auditor of Guam is Benjamin Cruz (nonpartisan). Cruz assumed office in 2018.
Authority
The office of the public auditor is established in Title 1 Guam Code Annotated (GCA) Chapter 19 § 1900 and 48 U.S. Code § 1421g(c).
1 GCA 19 § 1900
|
There is an instrumentality of the government of Guam, independent of the executive, legislative and judicial branches, known as the Office of Public Accountability. |
48 U.S. Code § 1421g(c)
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The Government of Guam may by law establish an Office of Public Prosecutor and an Office of Public Auditor. The Public Prosecutor and Public Auditor may be removed as provided by the laws of Guam. |
Qualifications
Per Title 1 GCA Chapter 19 § 1906, the public auditor must be a U.S. citizen and a Guam resident for the five years preceding his or her election. He or she must not have been convicted of a felony or suspended by an ethics board overseeing public accountants or attorneys. The public auditor must also be:
- a certified public accountant, or
- an attorney, or
- have at least five years of experience working with government budgets.[2]
Elections
Public auditors in Guam are elected in nonpartisan elections for four-year terms. Guam elects public auditors in federal presidential election years (e.g. 2016, 2020, 2024, etc.). The public auditor assumes office on the first Monday in the January following an election. Thus, January 2, 2017, and January 4, 2021, were inaugural days.[2]
2024
- See also: Guam Public Auditor election, 2024
General election
General election for Public Auditor of Guam
Incumbent Benjamin Cruz won election in the general election for Public Auditor of Guam on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Benjamin Cruz (Nonpartisan) | 99.1 | 24,905 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.9 | 220 | ||
| Total votes: 25,125 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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2020
- See also: Guam Public Auditor election, 2020
General election
General election for Public Auditor of Guam
Incumbent Benjamin Cruz won election in the general election for Public Auditor of Guam on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Benjamin Cruz (Nonpartisan) | 98.4 | 24,111 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.6 | 396 | ||
| Total votes: 24,507 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled. Incumbent Benjamin Cruz advanced from the primary for Public Auditor of Guam.
Vacancies
If a vacancy occurs more than six months before the end of the term, the vacancy is filled through special election. The winner of the special election serves for the remainder of the term. If a vacancy occurs with six months or less before the end of the term, the governor appoints a replacement to serve for the remainder of the term.[2]
Duties
Per Title 1 GCA Chapter 19 § 1909, the public auditor is responsible for:
- supervising financial and management audits.
- managing and settling expenditures of government funds and property.
- conducting public hearings, subpoenaing witnesses, conducting depositions, and requiring records and documents to exercise his or her powers.
- submitting annual reports to the governor and the legislature.
- making rules and regulations as necessary to carry out the duties of the office.
- reporting violations to the attorney general.[2]
Divisions
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the Guam Public Auditor has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Compensation
The public auditor receives $100,000 in annual compensation.[2]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Guam Public Auditor 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.
Contact information
Office of Public Accountability
Suite 401 DNA Building
238 Archbishop Flores Street
Hagatna, Guam 96910
Telephone: (671) 475-0390
Fax: (671) 472-7951
Hotline: 47AUDIT (472-8348)
Email: admin@guamopa.com
External links
Footnotes
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