| State Auditor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Government of Massachusetts | |
| Style |
|
| Type | Constitutional officer Auditor general |
| Residence | None official |
| Seat | State House, Boston, Massachusetts |
| Nominator | Nominating petition, Political parties |
| Appointer | Direct election |
| Term length | Four years, no term limit |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Massachusetts |
| Formation | 1849 |
| First holder | David Wilder Jr. |
| Website | www |
The state auditor of Massachusetts is an elected constitutional officer in the executive branch of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Twenty-six individuals have occupied the office of state auditor since the office's creation in 1849. The incumbent is Diana DiZoglio, a Democrat.
Election[edit]
Term of office[edit]
The state auditor is elected by the people on Election Day in November to four-year terms, and takes office on the third Wednesday of the January following a general election. There is no limit to the number of terms a state auditor may hold.[1] Institutionally speaking, the state auditor is thus completely independent of both the governor and General Court for the purpose of performing their official duties. These constitutional protections notwithstanding, the state auditor may still be impeached for misconduct or maladministration by the House of Representatives and, if found guilty, removed from office by the Senate.[2]
Qualifications[edit]
Any person seeking election to the office of state auditor must meet the following requirements:
- Be at least eighteen years of age;
- Be a registered voter in Massachusetts;
- Be a Massachusetts resident for at least five years when elected; and
- Receive 5,000 signatures from registered voters on nomination papers.[3]
Vacancies[edit]
In the event of a vacancy in the office of state auditor, the General Court is charged, if in session, with electing from among the eligible citizens of the Commonwealth a successor to serve the balance of the prior auditor's term in office.[a] If, however, the vacancy occurs while the General Court is not in session, then responsibility for appointing a successor falls to the governor. The appointment is not valid without the advice and consent of the Governor's Council.[6]
Powers and duties[edit]
The state auditor conducts independent and objective performance audits of each department, office, commission, agency, authority, institution, court, county, and any other activity of the Commonwealth, including programs and contractors of the foregoing entities, at least once in every three fiscal years.[7][8][9] By virtue of this same mandate, the state auditor may also audit any city, town, or school district upon request of the governing body thereof or pursuant to a petition of the residents from the locality concerned.[b]
Aside from performance audits, the Office of the State Auditor also provides other assurance services to citizens and taxpayers alike. For instance, the state auditor investigates alleged or suspected instances of waste, fraud, and abuse in social safety net programs.[10][11][12] Moreover, the state auditor ascertains whether state laws impose burdensome mandates on local governments.[13][14]
List of State Auditors of Massachusetts[edit]
| # | Auditor | Picture | Term | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Wilder Jr. | 1849–1854 | Whig | |
| 2 | Joseph Mitchell | 1854–1855 | ||
| 3 | Stephen N. Gifford | 
|
1855–1856 | Whig |
| 4 | Chandler R. Ranson | 1856 – January 20, 1858 | ||
| 5 | Charles White | January 20, 1858 – 1861 | ||
| 6 | Levi Reed | 1861 – December 20, 1865 | Republican | |
| 7 | Julius L. Clarke | December 1865 – 1866 | ||
| 8 | Henry S. Briggs | 
|
1866–1870 | |
| 9 | Charles Endicott | 
|
1871–1876 | |
| 10 | Julius L. Clarke | 1876 – May 5, 1879 | ||
| 11 | Charles R. Ladd | 
|
May 5, 1879 – 1891 | |
| 12 | William D. T. Trefry | 
|
1891–1892 | Democratic |
| 13 | John W. Kimball | 
|
1892–1901 | Republican |
| 14 | Henry E. Turner | 
|
1901–1911 | |
| 15 | John E. White | 
|
July 6, 1911 – 1914 | |
| 16 | Frank H. Pope | 
|
1914–1915 | Democratic |
| 17 | Alonzo B. Cook | 
|
1915–1931 | Republican |
| 18 | Francis X. Hurley | 
|
1931–1935 | Democratic |
| 19 | Thomas H. Buckley | 1935–1939 | ||
| 20 | Russell A. Wood | 
|
1939–1941 | Republican |
| 21 | Thomas J. Buckley | 1941 – September 10, 1964 | Democratic | |
| 22 | Thaddeus M. Buczko | 
|
September 24, 1964 – 1981 | |
| 23 | John J. Finnegan | 
|
1981–1987 | |
| 24 | A. Joseph DeNucci | 
|
1987–2011 | |
| 25 | Suzanne Bump | 
|
2011–2023 | |
| 26 | Diana DiZoglio | 
|
2023–present |
Footnotes[edit]
- ^ Citizens of the Commonwealth of the Massachusetts are officially designated as "Bay Staters". Being a Bay Stater implies concurrent U.S. citizenship, which is required in order to vote in Massachusetts and to run for any public office, including that of state auditor.[4][5]
- ^ Regardless of the entity subject to audit, all audits conducted by the Office of the State Auditor are performed in accordance with Government Auditing Standards promulgated by the comptroller general of the United States.
References[edit]
- ^ "Article LXIV, Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts". General Court of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "Article VIII, Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts". General Court of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "How to Run for Office in Massachusetts" (PDF). Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth. March 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
- ^ "Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 2, Section 35: Designation of citizens of commonwealth". General Court of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "Registering to Vote". Elections Division, Massachusetts Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "Article XVII, Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts". General Court of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "State Constitutional Officers". Citizen Information Service, Massachusetts Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "About the Office of the State Auditor". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Part I, Title II, Chapter 11, Section 12: Enabling Statute of the Office of the State Auditor". General Court of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "Bureau of Special Investigations". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Part I, Title II, Chapter 11, Section 16:Bureau of Special Investigations; director; duties". General Court of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Part I, Title II, Chapter 11, Section 17: Director; investigations; authority". General Court of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "Division of Local Mandates". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "General Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Part I, Title II, Chapter 11, Section 6B: Division of Local Mandates; responsibilities and powers". General Court of Massachusetts. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
External links[edit]
- Official website
- Office of the State Auditor, hdl:2452/35571 – via State Library of Massachusetts electronic repository. (Various documents).
