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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1068S.P. 452 In Senate, March 18, 2025
An Act to Allow the People to Elect the State Auditor
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on March 14, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
State and Local Government pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator BRADSTREET of Kennebec.
Cosponsored by Senator: HICKMAN of Kennebec, Representatives: BOYER of Poland,
CARUSO of Caratunk, HENDERSON of Rumford. Page 1 - 132LR1462(01)
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2 as amended by PL 2015, c. 44, ยง3, is further amended to read:
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4 The State Auditor is the head of the Office of the State Auditor. The State Auditor must
5 be a certified public accountant or a college graduate with not less than 6 years of
6 experience as a professional accountant or auditor, including not less than 5 years of
7 auditing experience, of which not less than 4 years must have been in a supervisory
8 capacity. The Until 2028, the State Auditor must be elected by the Legislature by a joint
9 ballot of the Senators and Representatives in convention and holds office for a term of 4
10 years or until a successor is elected and qualified. Beginning in 2028, the State Auditor is
11 elected every 4 years in the same manner as is the Governor. If a vacancy occurs, the
12 Governor shall appoint a successor who is subject to confirmation in the same manner as
13 Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court. The State Auditor shall exercise such the powers
14 and perform such the duties as are set forth in this chapter. In Until 2028, in case the office
15 of State Auditor becomes vacant during a period when the Legislature is not in session, the
16 appointment of a person to fill such vacancy must be made immediately by the President
17 of the Senate or if that office is vacant, by the Speaker of the House, and the person
18 appointed holds that office until such time as the Legislature meets in regular or special
19 session, and either confirm the appointment of the person or chooses another person to fill
20 the office during the unexpired term.
21 If a person elected to the office of State Auditor is not qualified as, or has not
22 successfully completed or passed the examination for, a certified public accountant,
23 certified information systems auditor or certified internal auditor at the time of election and
24 fails to become so qualified within 9 months of being sworn into office, as required by
25 section 242, that person may no longer serve as State Auditor and is ineligible for reelection
26 by the same Legislature and the office of State Auditor is deemed vacant.
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28 This bill provides for the statewide popular election of the State Auditor every 4 years
29 beginning in 2028.
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