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Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts
| Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $139,725 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $40,741,700 |
| Term limits: | 2 consecutive terms |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Kentucky Constitution, Executive Department Article, Section 91 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts
Allison Ball | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 2, 2027 |
| Last election: | November 7, 2023 |
| Other Kentucky Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Cabinet Secretary • Public Service Commission | |
The Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts is an elected state executive position in the Kentucky state government. The office was established in the first Kentucky Constitution of 1792, but did not become an elected position until 1850. The primary duty of the office is to audit all accounts and financial transactions of all state government spending agencies.[1]
Current officeholder
The current Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts is Allison Ball (R). Ball assumed office in 2024.
Authority
The office of auditor of public accounts is established in the Executive Department Article of the Kentucky Constitution.
Executive Department Article, Section 91:
| A Treasurer, Auditor of Public Accounts, Commissioner of Agriculture, Labor and Statistics, Secretary of State, and Attorney-General, shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State at the same time the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are elected, for the term of four years... |
Qualifications
Executive Department Article, Section 91 of the Kentucky Constitution establishes the qualifications of the office:
- at least 30 years old at time of election
- resident of Kentucky for at least two years
| ...each of whom shall be at least thirty years of age at the time of his election, and shall have been a resident citizen of the State at least two years next before his election. |
Elections
Kentucky elects auditors during gubernatorial election years (2019, 2023, 2027, etc.). Terms begin the first Monday in January following the election.
Term limits
The Kentucky Constitution limits the auditor to two consecutive four-year terms.
2027
- See also: Kentucky Auditor election, 2027
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
General election
The general election will occur on November 2, 2027.
Past elections
= candidate completed the 
Vacancies
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that details the process of filling vacancies for a state executive office. That information for the Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts 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.
Duties
The auditor's officer originally served as official bookkeeper of Kentucky, as well as the chief agent for tax collection, comptroller, and general administrative officer. The office was established as an independent auditor in 1936, responsible for auditing all spending agencies of the state. The office has also become responsible for technology audits, testing the security of state government computer systems, special investigations, and performance auditing.[1]
Divisions
As of January 18, 2021, divisions within the Auditor's office included:[3]
- Office of Local Government Audits
- Office of State Government Audits and Technology
- Office of Special Examinations
- Information Technology
- Communications
- Financial Operations
State budget
- See also: Kentucky state budget and finances
The Auditor of Public Accounts' budget for Fiscal Year 2025 was $40,741,700.[4]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $139,725, according to the Council of State Governments.[5]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $129,375, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2021
In 2021, the auditor received a salary of $129,375, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2020
In 2020, the auditor received a salary of $129,375 according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2019
In 2019, the auditor received a salary of $126,485 according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2018
In 2018, the auditor received a salary of $124,113 according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2017
In 2017, the auditor received a salary of $121,550 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2016
In 2016, the auditor’s salary was increased to $119,080 according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2015
In 2015, the auditor’s salary was increased to $118,217 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2014
In 2014, the auditor received a salary of $117,329. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.[14]
2013
In 2013, the auditor received a salary of $115,593. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.[15]
2012
In 2012, the auditor received a salary of $113,615. This figure comes from the Council of State Governments.
Historical officeholders
Since 1792, there have been 50 Kentucky State Treasurers. Two of them served two non-consecutive terms.[1]
Click "show" for former officeholders.
| Number | Name | Took office | Left office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William McDowell | 1792 | 1796 | |
| 2 | George Madison | 1796 | 1816 | |
| 3 | John Madison | 1816 | 1820 | |
| 4 | Peter Clay | 1820 | 1820 | |
| 5 | Ben Shelby | 1820 | 1834 | |
| 6 | Thomas S. Page | 1834 | 1846 | |
| 7 | H.Q. Bradley | 1846 | 1848 | |
| 8 | John B. Temple | 1848 | 1850 | |
| 9 | James A. Barbour | 1850 | 1851 | |
| 10 | Thomas S. Page | 1851 | 1859 | |
| 11 | Grant Green | 1859 | 1863 | |
| 12 | A.T. Samuels | 1863 | 1967 | |
| 13 | D. Howard Smith | 1867 | 1879 | |
| 14 | Fayette Hewitt | 1879 | 1887 | |
| 15 | L.C. Norman | 1887 | 1896 | |
| 16 | Sam H. Stone | 1896 | 1900 | |
| 17 | John S. Sweeney | 1900 | 1900 | |
| 18 | Gus G. Coulter | 1900 | 1904 | |
| 19 | S.W. Hager | 1904 | 1908 | |
| 20 | Frank P. Jones | 1908 | 1912 | |
| 21 | H.M. Bosworth | 1912 | 1916 | |
| 22 | Robert L. Greene | 1916 | 1919 | |
| 23 | T.M. Jones | 1919 | 1920 | |
| 24 | John J. Craig | 1920 | 1924 | |
| 25 | William H. Shanks | 1924 | 1928 | |
| 26 | Clell Coleman | 1928 | 1932 | |
| 27 | J. Dan Talbott | 1932 | 1936 | |
| 28 | E.E. Shannon | 1936 | 1940 | |
| 29 | David A. Logan | 1940 | 1943 | |
| 30 | B.L. Sparks | 1943 | 1947 | |
| 31 | Charles I. Ross | 1947 | 1947 | |
| 32 | W.D. Bratcher | 1947 | 1948 | |
| 33 | Harry Newman Jones | 1948 | 1952 | |
| 34 | T. Herbert Tinsley | 1952 | 1956 | |
| 35 | Mary Louise Foust | 1956 | 1960 | |
| 36 | Joseph W. Schneider | 1960 | 1964 | |
| 37 | Henry H. Carter | 1964 | 1968 | |
| 38 | Clyde Conley | 1968 | 1969 | |
| 39 | James Thompson | 1969 | 1970 | |
| 40 | Mary Louise Foust | 1970 | 1976 | |
| 41 | George Atkins | 1976 | 1980 | |
| 42 | James B. Graham | 1980 | 1984 | |
| 43 | Mary Ann Tobin | 1984 | 1988 | |
| 44 | Bob Babbage | 1980 | 1992 | Democrat |
| 45 | A.B. Chandler, III | 1992 | 1996 | Democrat |
| 46 | Edward B. Hatchett, Jr. | 1996 | 2004 | Democrat |
| 47 | Crit Luallen | 2004 | 2012 | Democrat |
| 48 | Adam Edelen | 2012 | 2016 | Democrat |
| 49 | Mike Harmon | 2016 | 2024 | Republican |
| 50 | Allison Ball | 2024 | Present | Republican |
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Kentucky State Auditor. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
209 St. Clair St.
Frankfort, Ky. 40601
Telephone: : 502-564-5841
Fax: 502-564-2912
See also
| Kentucky | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts, "History," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky State Board of Elections, "2015 General Election - Summary," accessed November 4, 2015
- ↑ Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts, "Executive Staff," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Kentucky Office of State Budget Director, "2024-2026 Budget of the Commonwealth," accessed January 17, 2025
- ↑ 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 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 18, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 18, 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 24, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
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