Auditor
Other surveys of state treasurer candidates
The primary duty of the Auditor of Public Accounts, or State Auditor, is to audit all accounts and financial transactions of all agencies that receive public funding, including state government agencies, fiscal courts, sheriffs, county clerks, circuit clerks, property valuation administrators, and other agencies that receive public funding. The auditor’s office considers requests for audits from public officials, the general public, the legislative research commission, and the governor’s office.
Kentucky's current Auditor is Mike Harmon. He is the Republican candidate.
Sheri Donahue is the Democratic candidate.
Kyle Hugenberg is the LibertarianParty candidates.
All three responded to our survey. Their answers follow.
Sheri Donahue
Political party: Democrat
Campaign website: https://donahueforky.com
Campaign Facebook: Facebook
Campaign Twitter: Twitter
Question 1:
What is your vision for the role of the Kentucky Auditor? How will our commonwealth be better in four years if you are elected?
All you have to do is look around. Regardless of ideology or party affiliation, people are losing faith in government. The cornerstone of any democracy is the people having faith in it. Faith that their government cares about them, faith that government is effective at responding for their needs, and faith that their voices and votes are being heard and counted.
I have stood up to billion dollar defense contractors and Defense Department bureaucrats and won! Kentucky Bureaucrats and Matt Bevin do not scare me! As the auditor, my main goal will be to restore people’s faith in government. Together I know we can.
Kyle Hugenberg
Political party: Libertarian
Campaign Facebook: Facebook
Campaign Twitter: Twitter
Question 1:
What is your vision for the role of the Kentucky Auditor? How will our commonwealth be better in four years if you are elected?
I intend to use the Auditor of Public Accounts position to conduct audits which compare various functions of the government to best practices in other states, nations, and to private industries which provide similar services.
Mike Harmon
Political party: Republican
Campaign website: http://mikeharmon.com/
Campaign Facebook: Facebook
Campaign Twitter: Twitter
Question 1:
What is your vision for the role of the Kentucky Auditor? How will our commonwealth be better in four years if you are elected?
My administration’s motto is “Follow the Data,” which means we don’t target anyone or give anyone a pass. The taxpayers of Kentucky deserve an Auditor who doesn’t operate the office based on any personal agenda. We take the time needed on every report to ensure we are giving the public factual information that is supported by evidence.
My office did the first ever external audit of the Administrative Office of the Courts and Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund (KLEFPF). In addition to around 600 more routine audits per year, we have also examined KentuckyWired, the University of Louisville Foundation, the Louisville Arena Authority, KEMI, the Department of Fish & Wildlife, and more. If given the opportunity to serve another four years, we will continue to build on our strong record of work.