Richard Eckstrom
Richard Eckstrom (Republican Party) was the South Carolina Comptroller General. He assumed office in 2003. He left office on April 30, 2023.
Eckstrom (Republican Party) ran for re-election for South Carolina Comptroller General. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
On March 23, 2023, Eckstrom announced he would resign effective April 30. According to his resignation letter, Eckstrom cited a $3.5 billion error that appeared in the state's year-end financial report as his reason for resignation. Eckstrom was responsible for overseeing this report.[1]
Before becoming state comptroller, Eckstrom served one term as Treasurer of South Carolina from 1995-1999. According to his office biography, Eckstrom was the first CPA to hold either one of the statewide financial positions.[2]
Biography
Eckstrom was born on June 23, 1948, in Duluth, Minnesota, and moved to South Carolina while in grade school. He is a 1966 graduate of the now-closed University High School, formerly located in Columbia, South Carolina. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1970 and afterward became a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy. After completing active duty military service, he obtained an MBA and a Master of Accountancy from the University of South Carolina School of Business. He was commissioned in the U.S. Navy Reserve until 1995, retiring at the rank of captain. He was commissioned as an officer in the South Carolina State Guard in 2004, became the commanding general of the Guard in 2011, and retired in 2014 with the rank of major general.[3][4]
From 1995 to 1999, Eckstrom was the treasurer of South Carolina. When he became comptroller general in 2003, he became the first certified public accountant (CPA) to hold both of the state’s top financial positions. Before his election as state treasurer, he worked as a CPA for the Peat Marwick Mitchell accounting firm.[5][6][7][8]
Political career
South Carolina Comptroller (2003-2023)
Eckstrom was first elected as South Carolina Comptroller General in 2002, and was re-elected in 2006, 2010 and 2014.[2][9] He stepped down on April, 30, 2023. [1]
South Carolina Treasurer (1995-1999)
Eckstrom served one term as State Treasurer of South Carolina from 1995-1999.
Elections
2022
See also: South Carolina Comptroller election, 2022
General election
General election for South Carolina Comptroller General
Incumbent Richard Eckstrom won election in the general election for South Carolina Comptroller General on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Richard Eckstrom (R) | 98.2 | 1,229,879 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.8 | 22,407 | ||
| Total votes: 1,252,286 | |||
 = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Richard Eckstrom advanced from the Republican primary for South Carolina Comptroller General.
2018
General election
General election for South Carolina Comptroller General
Incumbent Richard Eckstrom won election in the general election for South Carolina Comptroller General on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Richard Eckstrom (R) | 97.8 | 1,136,932 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 2.2 | 26,028 | ||
| Total votes: 1,162,960 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for South Carolina Comptroller General
Incumbent Richard Eckstrom advanced from the Republican primary for South Carolina Comptroller General on June 12, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Richard Eckstrom |
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
2014
Eckstrom ran for re-election to the office of South Carolina Comptroller General. Eckstrom was unopposed for the Republican nomination in the primary on June 10. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.[9]
Results
General election
| South Carolina Controller, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Richard Eckstrom Incumbent |
59.8% | 728,549 | |
| Democratic | Kyle Herbert | 40.1% | 489,066 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.1% | 693 | |
| Total Votes | 1,218,308 | |||
| Election results via South Carolina State Election Commission | ||||
2010
Eckstrom won re-election as Comptroller General in the November 2, 2010 election.[10]
| South Carolina Comptroller General, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Richard Ekstrom Incumbent |
56.5% | 746,841 | |
| Democratic | Robert Barber | 43.4% | 574,302 | |
| Write-In | Various | 0.1% | 719 | |
| Total Votes | 1,321,862 | |||
| Election results via South Carolina Board of Elections | ||||
2006
On November 7, 2006, Richard Eckstrom won re-election to the office of South Carolina Comptroller General. He defeated Drew Theodore (D) in the general election.
| South Carolina Comptroller General, 2006 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Richard Eckstrom Incumbent |
53.3% | 571,454 | |
| Democratic | Drew Theodore | 46.7% | 501,122 | |
| Write-In | Various | 0% | 373 | |
| Total Votes | 1,072,949 | |||
| Election results via South Carolina State Election Commission. | ||||
2002
On November 5, 2002, Richard A. Eckstrom won election to the office of South Carolina Comptroller General. He defeated Jim Lander (D) in the general election.
| South Carolina Comptroller General, 2002 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Richard A. Eckstrom |
54.5% | 583,079 | |
| Democratic | Jim Lander Incumbent | 45.4% | 485,748 | |
| Write-In | Various | 0% | 283 | |
| Total Votes | 1,069,110 | |||
| Election results via South Carolina State Election Commission. | ||||
Issues
ESG
| Environmental, social, and corporate governance |
|---|
|
| Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more. |
As state comptroller general, Eckstrom took positions in opposition to the environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) movement.
State financial officers, including treasurers, auditors, and controllers, are responsible for auditing other government offices, managing payroll, and overseeing pensions. In some states, certain SFOs are also responsible for investing state retirement and trust funds.
In May 2022 he said: “My view would be very disapproving of basing investment decisions for investment portfolios on anything other than economic reasons. ESG considerations fall into the political category.”[11]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Richard Eckstrom did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Noteworthy events
$3.4 billion accounting error cited for Eckstrom's resignation (2023)
On March 23, 2023, Eckstrom announced he would resign effective April 30. According to his resignation letter, Eckstrom cited a $3.5 billion error that appeared in the state's year-end financial report as his reason for resignation. Eckstrom was responsible for overseeing this report.[1]
According to Newser, state officials testified that "Eckstrom ignored auditors' yearslong warnings of a 'material weakness' in his office and flawed cash reporting. Eckstrom has said the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report exaggerated the state's cash balances for a decade by double-counting the money sent to colleges and universities. The mistake went unsolved until a junior staffer fixed the error this fall. Officials have said the overstatement didn't affect the state budget, but lawmakers alarmed by Eckstrom's inconsistent testimony slammed his failure to fulfill one of his primary constitutional duties: to publish an accurate account of state finances."[12]
On March 16, 2023, the state Senate introduced a resolution to trigger a South Carolina constitutional provision allowing the governor to remove Eckstrom for "willful neglect of duty." Thirty-eight of the chamber's 46 senators sponsored the proposal. Following this, the Senate launched an investigation into the financial error. The panel concluded that the error resulted from Eckstrom's "willful neglect of duty."[13]
Eckrstrom wrote in his resignation letter to Gov. Henry McMaster (R): "I have never taken service to the state I love or the jobs to which I have been elected lightly, endeavoring to work with my colleagues ... to be a strong defender of the taxpayer and a good steward of their hard-earned tax dollars. They deserve nothing less."[13]
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Associated Press, "South Carolina’s top accountant to resign after $3.5B error," March 23, 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio - ↑ South Carolina Comptroller General, “Meet the Comptroller General,” accessed November 22, 2022
- ↑ UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL (1932-1966) ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION, “Richard Eckstrom Interview,” University of South Carolina, October 28, 2016
- ↑ South Carolina Comptroller General, “Meet the Comptroller General,” accessed November 22, 2022
- ↑ News 19, “(R) Richard Eckstrom,” May 16, 2006
- ↑ UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL (1932-1966) ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION, “Richard Eckstrom Interview, University of South Carolina,” October 28, 2016
- ↑ Columbia Star, “Richard Eckstrom, S.C. Comptroller General,” August 21, 2009
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs nameddeadline - ↑ South Carolina Board of Elections, "November 2010 General Election Results," accessed April 2, 2011
- ↑ The Nerve, “Critics fear ESG factors could diminish state pension investments,” May 19, 2022
- ↑ Newser, "South Carolina's Chief Accountant Made Quite the Blunder," March 25, 2023
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 NPR, "South Carolina's comptroller quits after a $3.5 billion accounting error," March 23, 2023
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
South Carolina Comptroller General 2003-2023 |
Succeeded by Brian Gaines (D) |
| Preceded by - |
South Carolina Treasurer 1995-1999 |
Succeeded by - |
| ||||||||||||||
 |
State of South Carolina Columbia (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
