Pennsylvania Auditor General

Pennsylvania Auditor General
General information
Office Type:	Partisan
Office website:	Official Link
Compensation:	$177,237
2024 FY Budget:	$45,774,000
Term limits:	2 terms
Structure
Length of term:	4 years
Authority:	Pennsylvania Constitution, Article IV, Section 1
Selection Method:	Elected
Current Officeholder
Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor Republican Party Assumed office: January 19, 2021
Elections
Next election:	November 7, 2028
Last election:	November 5, 2024
Other Pennsylvania Executive Offices
Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission

The Pennsylvania Auditor General is an elected position in the Pennsylvania state government. The auditor general is responsible for ensuring all state money is spent legally and properly by conducting audits.

Current officeholder

The current officeholder is Timothy DeFoor (R). He was elected in 2020 and sworn in on January 19, 2021.

Authority

Though the state constitution does not specifically create the office of auditor general, it does allow for the addition of public officers in Article IV, Section 1:

All officers, whose selection is not provided for in this Constitution, shall be elected or appointed as may be directed by law.

Given this authority, the Pennsylvania General Assembly created the office of auditor general in 1809.

Qualifications

There are no specific qualifications for the Pennsylvania Auditor General.

Vacancies

Article IV, Section 8 of the Pennsylvania Constitution grants the governor the power to appoint officers to fill vacancies. In the event of a vacancy in the office of auditor general, the governor nominates a successor. This nomination must be made to the commonwealth Senate within 90 days of the vacancy. The Senate must then take action (confirming or not confirming the nomination) within 25 legislative days.

Duties

The Auditor General's office website says, "We conduct thousands of audits each year, including school districts, charter and cyber charter schools, county row offices, municipal pension plans, volunteer firefighter relief associations, special state funds, liquor stores, state correctional facilities, liquid fuels funds and other audits of state funds required by legislation." The auditor general conducts financial and performance audits. The website says, "Special audits, including performance audits, may be conducted when the auditor general determines they are necessary to ensure government accountability."

Elections

Pennsylvania state government organizational chart

Initially, the auditor general was appointed by the governor, but in 1850 the position became an elected office. From 1850 to 1909, auditors general were elected to serve three-year terms. In 1909, the state legislature passed an amendment to the constitution which expanded the terms to four years.

Term limits

Term limits for the office of auditor general are imposed by Article IV, Section 18 of the Pennsylvania Constitution. Auditors general may not serve more than two consecutive terms.

2024

See also: Pennsylvania Auditor election, 2024

General election candidates

• Timothy DeFoor  (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
• Malcolm Kenyatta  (Democratic Party)
• Eric Anton  (American Solidarity Party)
• Alan Goodrich  (Constitution Party)
• Reece Smith  (Libertarian Party) 

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= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
 Democratic primary candidates

• Malcolm Kenyatta ✔
• Mark Pinsley

 Republican primary candidates

• Timothy DeFoor (Incumbent) ✔

2020

See also: Pennsylvania Auditor election, 2020

General election candidates

• Nina Ahmad  (Democratic Party)
• Timothy DeFoor  (Republican Party) ✔
• Olivia Faison  (Green Party)
• Jennifer Moore  (Libertarian Party)

 Democratic primary candidates

• Nina Ahmad ✔
• H. Scott Conklin
• Rosie Davis 
• Tracie Fountain 
• Christina Hartman
• Michael Lamb

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= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
 Republican primary candidates

• Timothy DeFoor ✔

Did not make the ballot:

• Cris Dush

2016

See also: Pennsylvania Auditor election, 2016

The general election for auditor general was held on November 8, 2016.

Incumbent Eugene DePasquale defeated John A. Brown, John Sweeney, and Roy Minet in the Pennsylvania auditor election.

Pennsylvania Auditor, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Eugene DePasquale Incumbent	50.01%	2,958,818
	Republican	John A. Brown	45.08%	2,667,318
	Green	John Sweeney	2.69%	158,942
	Libertarian	Roy Minet	2.23%	131,853
Total Votes				5,916,931
Source: Pennsylvania Department of State

Full history

To view the electoral history dating back to 2000 for the office of Pennsylvania Auditor General, click [show] to expand the section.

2012 Incumbent Jack Wagner (D) was prevented by term limits from seeking re-election. Eugene DePasquale (D) defeated fellow state Rep. John Maher (R), along with minor-party candidate Betsy Summers, in the general election on November 6, 2012. Pennsylvania Auditor General General Election, 2012 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Eugene DePasquale 49.7% 2,729,565      Republican John Maher 46.4% 2,548,767      Libertarian Betsy Summers 3.8% 210,786 Total Votes 5,489,118 Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State 2008 On November 4, 2008, Jack Wagner won re-election to the office of Pennsylvania Auditor General. He defeated Chet Beiler (R) and Betsy Summers (L) in the general election. Pennsylvania Auditor General, 2008 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Jack Wagner Incumbent 59% 3,336,219      Republican Chet Beiler 37.7% 2,134,543      Libertarian Betsy Summers 3.3% 184,029 Total Votes 5,654,791 Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State. 2004 On November 2, 2004, Jack Wagner won election to the office of Pennsylvania Auditor General. He defeated Joe Peters (R) and three minor-party candidates in the general election. Pennsylvania Auditor General, 2004 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Jack Wagner 52.1% 2,786,909      Republican Joe Peters 45.4% 2,430,648      Green Ben G. Price 1% 53,716      Libertarian Berlie R. Etzel 1% 52,869      Constitution Leonard E. Ritchey 0.5% 28,776 Total Votes 5,352,918 Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State. 2000 On November 7, 2000, Bob Casey won re-election to the office of Pennsylvania Auditor General. He defeated Katie True (R) and four minor-party candidates in the general election. Pennsylvania Auditor General, 2000 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Bob Casey Incumbent 56.8% 2,651,551      Republican Katie True 39.9% 1,862,934      Green Anne E.R. Goeke 1.3% 62,642      Libertarian Jessica A. Morris 0.9% 41,967      Constitution John H. Rhine 0.5% 23,971      Reform James R. Blair 0.5% 21,476 Total Votes 4,664,541 Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State.

State budget

See also: Pennsylvania state budget and finances

The budget for the auditor general in Fiscal Year 2024 was $45,774,000.

Compensation

See also: Compensation of state executive officers

The auditor's salary is set by statute and subject to cost-of-living adjustments, also known as COLAs, pursuant to Section 3(e) of the Public Official Compensation Law (amended in 1995). This law mandates that Pennsylvania executives' salaries "shall be increased by applying the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland area for the most recent 12-month period for which figures have been officially reported by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) immediately prior to the date adjustment is due to take effect."

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $177,237, according to the Council of State Governments.

2021

In 2021, the auditor received a salary of $167,838, according to the Council of State Governments.

2020

In 2020, the auditor received a salary of $167,838, according to the Council of State Governments.

2019

In 2019, the auditor received a salary of $162,115, according to the Council of State Governments.

2018

In 2018, the auditor received a salary of $162,115, according to the Council of State Governments.

2017

In 2017, the auditor received a salary of $160,828, according to the Council of State Governments.

2016

In 2016, the auditor received a salary of $158,764, according to the Council of State Governments.

2015

In 2015, the auditor’s salary was increased to $158,764, according to the Council of State Governments.

2014

In 2014, the auditor was paid an estimated $156,264, according to the Council of State Governments.

2013

In 2013, the auditor was paid an estimated $155,797, according to the Council of State Governments.

2008

In 2008, the auditor was paid an estimated $141,565, according to the League of Women Voters

Historical officeholders

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Pennsylvania Auditor General 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.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Pennsylvania Auditor General. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Pennsylvania Auditor General - Google News

Contact information

Department of the Auditor General Finance Building
613 North Street, Room 229
Harrisburg, PA 17120-0018

Phone: 717-787-2543
Email: [email protected]

External links

Suggest a link

• Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General