Andrea Lea

Last updated

Andrea Lea
Auditor of Arkansas
In office
January 13, 2015 January 10, 2023

Early political life and state legislature

[4]

Lea was unopposed for a second House term in 2010. [5] In 2012, Lea was switched to House District 71 and again ran without opposition. The previous representative, Democrat Tommy Wren, was transferred to District 62. [6]

Lea was a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). The purpose of this council is to promote sample legislation written by corporations. She was the organization's co-state chairperson along with Eddie Joe Williams, also succeeding Michael Lamoureux in that role. [7] [8]

Legislation

State Auditor

The office of State Auditor is one of Arkansas' seven constitutional offices. The State Auditor is the general accountant for the state and is also in charge of the payroll for the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The office is also in charge of the state's unclaimed property program. [9] The office has existed since Arkansas was made a United States territory in 1819. Its duties have changed very little since its inception. Lea is the third woman elected to the office of State Auditor. The first woman elected was Jimmie Lou Fisher. The second woman elected was Julia Hughes Jones. Lea is the first Republican woman elected as State Auditor in Arkansas. [10]

The Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt

The State Auditor's office in Arkansas is in charge of an unclaimed property program. This program is referred to as The Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt. The purpose of this program is to return lost money to their rightful owners. Cash assets and safety deposit box contents are turned over to the State Auditor's office after the institutions holding the property deem it abandoned. According to Lea, in Arkansas, there is $317,000,000 in the unclaimed property as of 2017. She stated that "Reuniting Arkansans with their money is something I take very seriously...We now estimate that 1 in 4 Arkansans has cash to claim in the Treasure Hunt. If you've searched in the past, it's time to search again!" [11]

Election as President of NAUPA

In January 2019, Lea was elected as the President of the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA). This organization is associated with the Association of State Auditors. Its purpose is to create awareness of the importance of unclaimed property as a necessary consumer protection program. Its members represent all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and all of the United States' territories. After Lea was elected as President of this organization, she stated, "I'm honored to be chosen by my colleagues to represent our organization and work to advance our common interest...I look forward to continuing to share our successes in Arkansas across the country and advocating for increased innovation and streamlining of services. It's a win for businesses, and a win for consumers." [12]

Electoral history

Arkansas State House of Representatives 68th District Election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanAndrea Lea5,68153.05
DemocraticThomas Akin4,63443.27
GreenMary Boley3943.68
Arkansas State House of Representatives 68th District Election, 2010
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanAndrea Lea (inc.)n/a100.00
Arkansas State House of Representatives 68th District Election, 2012
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanAndrea Lea (inc.)n/a100.00
Arkansas Auditor Republican Primary Election, 2014
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanAndrea Lea111,99868.17
RepublicanKen Yang52,29331.83
Arkansas Auditor Election, 2014
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanAndrea Lea471,21157.17
DemocraticRegina Stewart Hampton308,28537.40
LibertarianBrian Leach44,7025.42
Arkansas Auditor Election, 2018
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanAndrea Lea72.35621,722
LibertarianDavid E. Dinwiddie27.65237,602

[13]

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References

  1. "Max Brantley, Andrea Lea joins GOP race for state auditor, July 2, 2013". Arkansas Times . Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  2. "Andrea Lea's Biography". votesmart.org. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  3. "Andrea Lea, R-71". arkansashouse.org. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  4. "State Representative, District 68". sos.arkansas.gov. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  5. "District 68". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  6. "District 71". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  7. "State Chairs - American Legislative Exchange Council". www.alec.org. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  8. "Andrea Lea's Voting Records". votesmart.org. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  9. "Arkansas State Auditor | Andrea Lea". auditor.ar.gov. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  10. "Office of Auditor - Encyclopedia of Arkansas". www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  11. "Arkansas State Auditor | Andrea Lea". auditor.ar.gov. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  12. "Arkansas State Auditor | Andrea Lea". auditor.ar.gov. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  13. "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
Party political offices
Vacant
Title last held by
Mary Jane Rebick
Republican nominee for Arkansas State Auditor
2014, 2018
Succeeded by
Arkansas House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
for the 68th district

2009–2013
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives
for the 71st district

2013–2015
Succeeded by
Kenneth Henderson
Political offices
Preceded by Auditor of Arkansas
2015–2023
Succeeded by