View source for Vermont State Auditor

{{Short description|One of six constitutional officers in Vermont, elected statewide every two years}}
{{Infobox official post
|post                    = Vermont Auditor of Accounts
|flag                    = Seal of the State Auditor of Vermont.svg
|incumbent               = [[Doug Hoffer]]
|image                   = Vermont_Auditor_Doug_Hoffer_(Jan_2024).jpg
|incumbentsince          = January 10, 2013 
|residence               = Vermont
|termlength              = Two years (no term limits)
|formation               = 1790
|first                   = [[Elisha Clark]]
|deputy                  = [[Tim Ashe]] (Since 2021)
|salary                  = $116,730 (As of 2021)
|website                 = {{url|https://auditor.vermont.gov/}}
}}
The '''auditor of accounts of Vermont''', informally referred to as "the state auditor", is a constitutional officer in the [[executive branch]] of [[Government of Vermont|government]] of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Vermont]]. Twenty-nine individuals have occupied the office of state auditor since statehood. The incumbent is [[Doug Hoffer| Douglas R. Hoffer]], a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]/[[Vermont Progressive Party|Progressive]]. He was first elected to office in [[2012 Vermont elections|2012]].

==Election and term of office==
The auditor of accounts is one of six [[Constitution of Vermont|constitutional]] officers in [[Vermont]], elected statewide every two years. Until 1870, Vermont elected its state auditor for one-year terms.<ref name="Hill">{{cite book |last=Hill |first=William C. |author-link=William C. Hill |date=2011 |title=The Vermont State Constitution |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2vNoAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA148 |location=New York, NY |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=148 |isbn=978-0-19-977902-4 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> Likewise, prior to an 1883 constitutional amendment, the state auditor was chosen by a vote of the [[Vermont General Assembly]], as was the [[Secretary of State of Vermont|secretary of state]].<ref name="Hill"/> Since then, these two officials have been elected statewide on a [[Direct election|direct popular vote]], alongside the [[Governor of Vermont|governor]], [[Lieutenant governor of Vermont|lieutenant governor]], [[Vermont State Treasurer|treasurer]], and [[Vermont Attorney General|attorney general]].<ref name="Hill"/>

In the event of a vacancy, the governor is empowered to appoint a successor.<ref name="Statutes">{{cite web |url=https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/17/053 |title=Title 17: Elections, Chapter 53: Vacancies, § 2623. Vacancies in offices within this State |date=2013 |website=The Vermont Statutes Online |publisher=Vermont General Assembly |location=Montpelier, VT |access-date=September 12, 2023}}</ref> Vermont statutes require the governor to solicit recommendations from the political party of the individual who held the office prior to the vacancy, but the governor is empowered to appoint any qualified individual.<ref name="Statutes"/>

==Powers and duties==
The mission of the Office of the Auditor of Accounts is to hold state government accountable by evaluating whether taxpayer funds are being used [[Effectiveness|effectively]] and identifying strategies to eliminate [[Waste (law)|waste]], [[fraud]], and [[Abuse of authority|abuse]]. To this end, the state auditor conducts discretionary [[Government performance auditing|performance audits]] in accordance with [[Government Auditing Standards]] promulgated by the [[Comptroller General of the United States|comptroller general of the United States]], the head of the [[Government Accountability Office]] and the United States' [[supreme audit institution]]. These audits provide an independent and objective assessment of the [[Program evaluation|program performance]], [[internal control]]s, and [[Regulatory compliance|legal compliance]] of Vermont's governmental operations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://auditor.vermont.gov/about-state-auditors-office|title=About the State Auditor's Office|author=Office of the Vermont Auditor of Accounts|publisher=State of Vermont|access-date=August 22, 2024}}</ref>

Other responsibilities have been conferred on the Auditor's Office by law. For example, the state auditor contracts with [[Certified public accountant|private accounting firms]] to audit the [[financial statements]] of the state of Vermont as presented in its [[annual comprehensive financial report]] and to perform the statewide [[single audit]] of [[Administration of federal assistance in the United States|federal programs]] administered by state agencies and their subrecipients.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://auditor.vermont.gov/about-state-auditors-office|title=About the State Auditor's Office|author=Office of the Vermont Auditor of Accounts|publisher=State of Vermont|access-date=August 22, 2024}}</ref> Likewise, the state auditor [[Forensic accounting|investigates]] allegations of waste, fraud, and abuse of public resources reported to the Auditor's Office.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://auditor.vermont.gov/contact-us/fraud|title=Report Waste, Fraud, and Abuse|author=Office of the Vermont Auditor of Accounts|publisher=State of Vermont|access-date=August 22, 2024}}</ref>

==Notable former Vermont auditors==
* [[Silas H. Hodges]], Commissioner of the [[U.S. Patent Office]]<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ihIuAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA67 Journal of the Patent Office Society], published by U.S. Patent Office Society, Volume 2, Number 1 (September, 1919), page 67</ref>
* [[Frederick E. Woodbridge]], member of the [[United States House of Representatives]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=W000708|title=WOODBRIDGE, Frederick Enoch, (1818 - 1888)|publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress|access-date= December 26, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/frederick_woodbridge/411860 |title = Rep. Frederick Woodbridge
|publisher= Govtrack.us |access-date= December 26, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Franklin D. Hale]], U.S. Consul in: [[Coaticook, Quebec]]; [[Charlottetown]], [[Prince Edward Island]]; [[Trinidad]]; and [[Huddersfield]], [[England]]<ref name="Jeffrey">{{cite book |last=Jeffrey |first=William H. |date=1904 |title=Successful Vermonters: A Modern Gazetteer of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PkYjAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA86 |location=East Burke, VT |publisher=Historical Publishing Company |pages=86–88 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref><ref name="Mohr">{{cite book |editor-last=Mohr |editor-first=Wm. F. |date=1914 |title=Who's Who In New York City and State |edition=Sixth |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rlUDAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA316 |location=New York, NY |publisher=Who's Who In New York City and State, Inc. |page=316 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |date=1942 |title=Death Notices: Supplement to General Alumni Catalog of Officers and Students, 1837–1921, September, 1940–September, 1941 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DR5q5Icfgx0C&pg=RA6-PA10 |location=Ann Arbor, MI |publisher=University of Michigan |page=10 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref>
* [[Orion M. Barber]], Judge of the [[United States Court of Customs Appeals]]<ref name="fjc.gov">{{cite web|url=https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/barber-orion-metcalf|title=Barber, Orion Metcalf - Federal Judicial Center|website=www.fjc.gov}}</ref>
* [[Horace F. Graham]], Governor of Vermont<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nga.org/governor/horace-french-graham/ |title=Biography, Horace French Graham |website=NGA.org |publisher=National Governors Association |access-date=September 12, 2023}}</ref>
*[[Ed Flanagan (politician)|Ed Flanagan]], first openly LGBT person elected to a statewide constitutional office in American history<ref>{{Cite book |title=Handbook of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Administration and Policy |publisher=Marcel Dekker |year=2004 |editor-last=Swan |editor-first=Wallace |pages=100}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=1996 - Explore a Year in LGBT History  |url=https://www.prideandprogress.org/years/1996 |website=Pride & Progress |language=en |access-date=2022-07-26}}</ref>

==List of Vermont auditors==

{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
! # !! Auditor !! Picture!! Term!! Party
|-
| 1
| [[Elisha Clark]]
| 
| 1790–1797
| No party affiliation
|-
| 2
| [[Seth Storrs]]
| [[File:Seth Storrs.jpg|75px]]
| 1797–1801
| No party affiliation
|-
| 3
| [[Benjamin Emmons|Benjamin Emmons Jr.]]
| 
| 1801–1807
| No party affiliation
|-{{Party shading/Democratic-Republican}}
| 4
| [[Alexander Hutchinson (Vermont politician)|Alex Hutchinson]]
| 
| 1807–1813
| [[Democratic-Republican Party|Democratic-Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Independent}}
| 5
| [[Job Lyman]]
| 
| 1813–1815
| No party affiliation
|-{{Party shading/Democratic-Republican}}
| 
| [[Alexander Hutchinson (Vermont politician)|Alex Hutchinson]]
| 
| 1815–1817
| Democratic-Republican
|-{{Party shading/Independent}}
| 7
| [[Willis Hall Jr.]]
| 
| 1817–1819
| No party affiliation
|-{{Party shading/Democratic-Republican}}
| 8
| [[Norman Williams (politician)|Norman Williams]]
| [[File:Norman Williams.jpg|75px]]
| 1819–1823
| Democratic-Republican
|-{{Party shading/National Republican}}
| rowspan=4|9
| rowspan=4|[[David Pierce Jr.|David Pierce]]
| rowspan=4|
| {{Party shading/Democratic-Republican}}|1823–1829
| {{Party shading/Democratic-Republican}}|Democratic-Republican
|-
| {{Party shading/National Republican}}|1829-1835
| {{Party shading/National Republican}}|[[National Republican Party|National Republican]]
|-
| {{Party shading/Anti-Masonic}}|1835-1839
| {{Party shading/Anti-Masonic}}|[[Anti-Masonic Party|Anti-Masonic]]
|-
| {{Party shading/Whig}}|1839-1845
| {{Party shading/Whig}}|[[Whig Party (United States)|Whig]]
|-{{Party shading/Whig}}
| 10
| [[Silas H. Hodges]]
| [[File:Silas H. Hodges (U.S. Patent Commissioner).jpg|75px]]
| 1845–1850
| Whig
|-{{Party shading/Whig}}
| 11
| [[Frederick E. Woodbridge]]
| [[File:FEWoodbridge.jpg|75px]]
| 1850–1853
| Whig
|-{{Party shading/Free Soil}}
| rowspan=2|12
| rowspan=2|[[William M. Pingry]]
| rowspan=2|[[File:William Morrill Pingry.jpg|75px]]
| {{Party shading/Free Soil}}|1853–1855
| {{Party shading/Free Soil}}|[[Free Soil Party|Free Soil]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 1855-1860
| [[Vermont Republican Party|Republican]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 13
| [[Jeptha Bradley]]
| 
| 1860–1864
| Republican
|-{{Party shading/National Union}}
| rowspan=2|14
| rowspan=2|[[Dugald Stewart (Vermont politician)|Dugald Stewart]]
| rowspan=2|
| 1864–1870
| [[National Union Party (United States)|National Union]]
|-
| {{Party shading/Republican}}|1867-1870
| {{Party shading/Republican}}|Republican
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 15
| [[Whitman G. Ferrin]]
| 
| 1870–1877
| Republican
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 16
| [[Jedd P. Ladd]]
| 
| 1877–1879
| Republican
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 17
| [[E. Henry Powell]]
| [[File:Edward Henry Powell.jpg|75px]]
| 1879–1892
| Republican
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 18
| [[Franklin D. Hale]]
| [[File:Franklin Darius Hale.jpg|75px]]
| 1892–1898
| Republican
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 19
| [[Orion M. Barber]]
| [[File:Orion Metcalf Barber.jpg|75px]]
| 1898–1902
| Republican
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 20
| [[Horace Graham|Horace F. Graham]]
| [[File:Horace French Graham.jpg|75px]]
| 1902–1917
| Republican
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 21
| [[Benjamin Gates (Vermont politician)|Benjamin Gates]]
| [[File:Benjamin Gates (Vermont).jpg|75px]]
| 1917–1941
| Republican
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 22
| [[David V. Anderson]]
| [[File:David Verner Anderson.jpg|75px]]
| 1941–1965
| Republican
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
| 23
| [[Jay H. Gordon]]
| 
| 1965–1969
| [[Vermont Democratic Party|Democratic]]
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 24
| [[Robert T. King (Vermont politician)|Robert T. King]]
| [[File:Robert T. King.jpg|75px]]
| 1969–1970
| Republican
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 25
| [[Alexander V. Acebo]]
| [[File:Alexander V. Acebo.jpg|75px]]
| 1970–1993
| Republican
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
| 26
| [[Ed Flanagan (politician)|Edward S. Flanagan]]
|
| 1993–2001
| Democratic
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
| 27
| [[Elizabeth M. Ready]]
|
| 2001–2005
| Democratic
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 28
| [[Randy Brock]]
| [[File:Randy Brock for Vermont Lt Governor 2016 - 20151020-IMG 7818.jpg|75px]]
| 2005–2007
| Republican
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| rowspan=2|29
| rowspan=2|[[Thomas M. Salmon]]
| rowspan=2|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|2007-2009
| {{Party shading/Democratic}}|Democratic
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
| 2009–2013
| Republican<ref>Elected as a Democrat in 2006 and 2008, switched to the Republican Party in 2009 and was re-elected in 2010</ref>
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
| 29
| [[Doug Hoffer]]
|[[File:Doug_Hoffer (cropped).png|75px]]
| 2013–present
| Democratic/[[Vermont Progressive Party|Progressive]]<ref>Was a member of Progressive Party, but also received and accepted nomination of Democratic Party afterward</ref>
|}

==Notes==
<references/>

== External links ==
* [http://auditor.vermont.gov Vermont State Auditor of Accounts]
* [http://www.vermont.gov/ Government of Vermont portal]

{{Vermont}}
{{Vermont statewide elected officials}}
{{U.S. State Auditors}}

[[Category:State auditors of Vermont| ]]
[[Category:State auditors and comptrollers of the United States|Vermont]]