State government

State Auditor

The Basics

Every state and most of the territories has an Auditor (sometimes called an Auditor General, Comptroller, Controller, or State Examiner), and in 19 states the auditor is an elected position that’s voted on by all the voters of the state. 

The auditor carries out audits of different parts of government. An audit is an investigation that’s focused on money and finances. Most people are probably familiar with the type of audit the IRS does, which investigates whether people or businesses have properly paid their taxes, but audits are very important for how governments work as well. A state auditor can look into how public money is spent and invested and whether state programs are running efficiently, and investigate claims of corruption and misuses of government funds. 

So why is this an elected position? For the states that elect an auditor directly, the goal is to reduce corruption and make sure the auditor is independent, so they can carry out investigations without needing to worry about retaliation from other government officials. It also means the auditor is directly accountable to voters. (In states where the auditor is appointed, they usually report to the state legislature.)

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Source: the Council of State Governments

What have State Auditors done?

Auditors are the money management watchdogs of your state government, so they’re constantly on the lookout for corruption, misconduct, and ways to make sure public money is spent efficiently. Here are just a few examples of actions that have made a big impact:

Case Study: using audits to protect the environmentLink

When former Auditor General of Pennsylvania Eugene DePasquale took office in 2013, he immediately began an audit of the state’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Shale gas drilling had been a big issue during his campaign, and many people were concerned about the water pollution it caused. The DEP was in charge of overseeing drilling and addressing residents’ complaints about water contamination, and an audit would reveal if they were up to the job.

Over a year later, the Auditor General’s office had finished its investigation, and the results were sobering. The DEP had failed to order drilling operators to clean up water supplies they had polluted, and their systems for making sure waste was safely disposed of were ineffective. Even more concerning, it had consistently failed to provide necessary information on all these issues to the public, and was unprepared to investigate and respond to complaints. The problems were so significant that the Auditor General warned Pennsylvanians not to trust the information on the DEP’s website.

The investigation report contained 29 recommendations for improving the DEP’s processes and protecting the state’s water supply, but those recommendations would take time to implement, so the Auditor’s office also released a citizen’s guide that laid out how Pennsylvanians could take action if they suspected water pollution in their area. The DEP investigation is a great example of an auditor’s power to hold the state government accountable. 

Sources: State Impact Pennsylvania (2013); Department of the Auditor General; The Patriot News; State Impact Pennsylvania (2014)

How does it work in my state?

Scroll down and click on your state to learn more about the specifics of the state auditor’s powers and responsibilities where you live. (If your state isn’t here yet, check back often – we’re adding more info all the time. If the state auditor isn’t an elected position where you live, it won’t appear here.)

North CarolinaLink

Term limits: none; terms are four years

Eligibility: to run for any office in North Carolina, you must be at least 21 years old and eligible to vote in the state. Unlike many other states, North Carolina doesn’t require the State Auditor to be a Certified Public Accountant or have specific professional experience.

The auditor runs the Office of the State Auditor and has broad powers to investigate the financial affairs of every department and agency in North Carolina’s government. Their most important powers and responsibilities are:

  • Financial audits
    To carry out audits, the auditor is authorized to examine books, records, files, papers, documents, and any other materials related to the financial dealings of state agencies. The auditor also has the power to require people to produce records and answer questions under oath
  • Performance audits
    These types of audits focus on how well a department or agency is doing its job, and how efficiently they’re using their budget and resources
  • Appointing election administrators
    The auditor’s office has the power to appoint members of the State Board of Elections (which sets election policies and rules) and the leaders of county boards of elections, which administer elections and are in charge of voter registration.
  • Making recommendations
    If an audit uncovers misconduct, waste, inefficiency, or other issues, the auditor can make recommendations to improve government practices, but they can’t force changes on their own.
  • Working with law enforcement, if any evidence of potential crimes is discovered
    The auditor can’t press charges on their own, but they can pass on information and assist in criminal investigations
  • Taking tips from the public
    If anyone suspects government misconduct, they can make a report to the auditor’s office

Sources: the North Carolina Constitution, Article III and Article VI; the North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 147; North Carolina State Board of Elections

Pennsylvania: Auditor GeneralLink

Term limits: limited to two terms in a row, but can run again after sitting out at least one term; anyone who has already served as Pennsylvania State Treasurer has to wait at least four years before running for auditor. This is because the treasurer is one of the main financial leaders in state government, and the auditor investigates the state’s finances. Preventing people from hopping between the two positions keeps the auditor’s office more independent

Eligibility: no specific qualifications are laid out in the Pennsylvania Constitution. To run for other statewide offices, you must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen and a Pennsylvania resident for at least seven years

The Auditor General leads an office that has the authority to investigate any area related to state money – that includes state agencies, local governments, school districts, public pension funds (these are retirement funds for government employees), and organizations that get state funding, like hospitals and universities. Most of their work is on two types of audits: financial audits check if the state’s money is being spent legally and everything is being documented appropriately, and performance audits make sure a program or agency is using the state’s money efficiently and delivering the services they’re supposed to provide. The auditor’s office is legally required to do thousands of these checks every year. They can also look into allegations or claims that are brought to their attention, and the Auditor General can decide to investigate specific issues.

If an audit turns up anything inappropriate or illegal, they can report the information to the state legislature or law enforcement, but they can’t press charges or make changes on their own. The auditor can make recommendations, but their main role is to provide reliable information. They also can’t investigate anything related to federal or local government money.

Sources: the Pennsylvania Constitution; Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General; Pennsylvania State Library