South Dakota State Auditor

South Dakota State Auditor
General information
Office Type:	Partisan
Office website:	Official Link
Compensation:	$97,185
2024 FY Budget:	$1,630,402
Term limits:	Two consecutive terms
Structure
Length of term:	4 years
Authority:	South Dakota Constitution, Article 4, Section 7
Selection Method:	Elected
Current Officeholder
South Dakota State Auditor Richard Sattgast Republican Party Assumed office: 2019-01-07
Elections
Next election:	November 3, 2026
Last election:	November 8, 2022
Other South Dakota Executive Offices
Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Commissioner of School and Public Lands • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission

The South Dakota Auditor is an elected position in the South Dakota state government. The auditor is an independent officeholder who monitors how state funds are spent.

Current officeholder

The current officeholder is Richard Sattgast (R) . He was elected to the office in November 2018. Sattgast previously served as the state auditor from 2003 to 2011.

Authority

The state auditor's office is established in Article 4, Section 7 of the South Dakota Constitution.

Article IV, Section 7:

There shall be chosen by the qualified electors of the state at the general election of the Governor and every four years thereafter the following constitutional officers: attorney general, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and commissioner of school and public lands, who shall severally hold their offices for a term of four years. Commencing with the 1992 general election, no person may be elected to more than two consecutive terms as attorney general, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, or commissioner of school and public lands.

Qualifications

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that establishes the requirements necessary to qualify for a state executive office. That information for the South Dakota State Auditor has not yet been added. After extensive research, we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.

Elections

South Dakota state government organizational chart

Article IV, Section 7 specifies that the auditor is to be elected every four years.

2022

See also: South Dakota Auditor election, 2022

General election

General election for South Dakota State Auditor

Incumbent Richard Sattgast defeated Stephanie Marty and Rene Meyer in the general election for South Dakota State Auditor on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Richard Sattgast (R)	62.7	206,633
		Stephanie Marty (D)	31.9	105,163
		Rene Meyer (L)	5.5	18,001

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 329,797
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic convention

Democratic convention for South Dakota State Auditor

Stephanie Marty advanced from the Democratic convention for South Dakota State Auditor on July 9, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Stephanie Marty (D)

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican convention

Republican convention for South Dakota State Auditor

Incumbent Richard Sattgast advanced from the Republican convention for South Dakota State Auditor on June 25, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Richard Sattgast (R)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Libertarian convention

Libertarian convention for South Dakota State Auditor

Rene Meyer advanced from the Libertarian convention for South Dakota State Auditor on April 23, 2022.

		Candidate
✔		Rene Meyer (L)

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: South Dakota Auditor election, 2018

General election

General election for South Dakota State Auditor

Richard Sattgast defeated Tom Cool in the general election for South Dakota State Auditor on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Richard Sattgast (R)	64.0	202,055
		Tom Cool (D)	36.0	113,628

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 315,683 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2014

See also: South Dakota down ballot state executive elections, 2014

Republican incumbent Steve Barnett won re-election on November 4, 2014.

South Dakota Auditor, 2014
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Steve Barnett Incumbent	79.9%	191,755
	Libertarian	Kurt Evans	20.1%	48,103
Total Votes				239,858
Election results via South Dakota Secretary of State

Full history

To view the electoral history dating back to 2002 for the office of South Dakota Auditor, click [show] to expand the section.

2010 On November 2, 2010, Steve Barnett won election to the office of South Dakota Auditor. He defeated Julie Bartling (D) in the general election. South Dakota Auditor, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican Steve Barnett 60.8% 181,975      Democratic Julie Bartling 39.2% 117,218 Total Votes 299,193 Election results via South Dakota Secretary of State. 2006 On November 7, 2006, Rich Sattgast won re-election to the office of South Dakota Auditor. He ran unopposed in the general election. South Dakota Auditor, 2006 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican Rich Sattgast Incumbent 100% 200,372 Total Votes 200,372 Election results via South Dakota Secretary of State. 2002 On November 5, 2002, Rich Sattgast won election to the office of South Dakota Auditor. He defeated Dick Butler (D) in the general election. South Dakota Auditor, 2002 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican Rich Sattgast 51.7% 161,347      Democratic Dick Butler 48.3% 150,822 Total Votes 312,169 Election results via South Dakota Secretary of State.

Term limits

Article IV, Section 7 prevents any person from being elected to more than two consecutive terms as auditor.

Vacancies

Article IV, Section 3 of the state constitution grants the governor the authority to fill any vacancy in the office of auditor by appointment.

Duties

As of February 2021, stated duties of the auditor included:

“

To preaudit all claims against the state, issue warrants, administer state employee payroll, record and monitor all fund balances and all fund transfers; to reconcile fund balances and submit numerous reports to agencies on the state's financial condition as set forth by the rules of the State Auditor, the State Board of Finance, and of other state agencies; to deposit with the Internal Revenue Service, the social security and federal income taxes withheld from employees of the state of South Dakota and the state universities in a proper and timely manner; to audit and correct all wage data and social security records of the employees of the state of South Dakota, state universities, and 740 governmental subdivisions, including counties, cities, school districts, townships and water districts; and, to serve as a repository for W-2s for state employees.

”

Divisions

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the South Dakota State Auditor has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.

State budget

See also: South Dakota state budget and finances

The budget for the state auditor's office in Fiscal Year 2024 was $1,630,402.

Compensation

See also: Compensation of state executive officers

See statutes: SD Codified L § 3-8-2.1 (2014)

The auditor's annual compensation is set by Title 3, Chapter 8, Section 2 (§ 3-8-2.1) of the South Dakota Codified Laws and it may not be raised or diminished during a term in office, pursuant to Article XII, Section 3 of the South Dakota Constitution.

The auditor's base salary is subject to annual rate increases under the General Appropriations Act for each corresponding year.

2022

In 2022, the officer's salary was $97,185, according to the Council of State Governments.

2021

In 2021, the auditor received a salary of $94,906, according to the Council of State Governments.

2020

In 2020, the auditor received a salary of $93,046 according to the Council of State Governments.

2019

In 2019, the auditor received a salary of $89,700 according to the Council of State Governments.

2018

In 2018, the auditor received a salary of $89,700 according to the Council of State Governments.

2017

In 2017, the auditor received a salary of $89,700 according to the Council of State Governments.

2016

In 2016, the auditor received a salary of $87,341 according to the Council of State Governments.

2015

In 2015, the auditor received a salary $115,348 according to the Council of State Governments.

2014

In 2014, the state auditor was paid an estimated $105,348 according to the Council of State Governments.

2013

In 2013, the state auditor was paid an estimated $101,296 according to the Council of State Governments.

2010

In 2010, the state auditor was paid an estimated $98,345 according to the Council of State Governments.

Historical officeholders

State Auditors

There have been 27 South Dakota State Auditors since 1889. Of the 27 officeholders, 24 were Republicans and 3 were Democrast. Richard Sattgast has served two non-consecutive terms.

List of officeholders from 1889-Present
#	Name	Tenure	Party
1	L.C. Taylor	1889 – 1893	Republican
2	J.E. Hipple	1893 – 1897	Republican
3	H.E. Mayhew	1897 – 1899	Republican
4	James D. Reeves	1899 – 1903	Republican
5	J.F. Halladay	1903 – 1907	Republican
6	John Hirning	1907 – 1911	Republican
7	Henry B. Anderson	1911 – 1915	Republican
8	J.E. Handlin	1915 – 1919	Republican
9	Jay E. Reeves	1919 – 1923	Republican
10	Edward A. Jones	1923 – 1929	Republican
11	William M. Dunn	1929 – 1933	Republican
12	George O'Neill	1933 – 1937	Democratic
13	Raymond A. Kelly	1937 – 1939	Democratic
14	W.W. Warner	1939 – 1945	Republican
15	Steve E. Anderson	1945 – 1950	Republican
16	James O. Gilkerson	1950 – 1951	Republican
17	Lawrence E. Mayes	1951 – 1956	Republican
18	Fay A. Allbee	1956 – 1958	Republican
19	Oscar Brosz	1958 – 1959	Republican
20	Harriett Horning	1959 – 1961	Democratic
21	Betty L. Larson Casey	1961 – 1963	Republican
22	Al Hamre	1963 – 1967	Republican
23	Lloyd Jorgenson	1967 – 1969	Republican
24	Alice Kundert	1969 – 1979	Republican
25	Vernon L. Larson	1979 – 2003	Republican
26	Richard L. Sattgast	2003 – 2011	Republican
27	Steve Barnett	2011 – 2019	Republican
28	Richard L. Sattgast	2019 – present	Republican

Recent news

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South Dakota State Auditor - Google News

Contact information

South Dakota State Auditor
Office of the State Auditor
500 E Capitol Ave., Ste 209
Pierre, SD 57501

Tel: (605) 773-3341
Fax: (605) 773-5929

External links

Suggest a link

• South Dakota Office of the State Auditor