Beth Wood | |
---|---|
17th Auditor of North Carolina | |
In office January 10, 2009 –December 15, 2023 | |
Governor | Bev Perdue Pat McCrory Roy Cooper |
Preceded by | Les Merritt |
Succeeded by | Jessica Holmes |
Personal details | |
Born | New Bern,North Carolina,U.S. | April 22,1954
Political party | Democratic |
Education | Wayne Community College (AS) East Carolina University (BA) |
Beth A. Wood (born April 22,1954) is an American politician and accountant who formerly served as the Auditor of North Carolina from 2009 until 2023. A Democrat,she is the first woman to hold the office. Born in New Bern,she initially worked as a dental hygienist before getting a degree in accounting in 1984. In the mid-1990s Wood took a job in the Office of the North Carolina State Treasurer,where she was responsible for approving audits of local governments. She later took a job in the office of the Auditor of North Carolina,and was promoted to head of the training division.
Wood successfully challenged incumbent State Auditor Les Merritt in the 2008 election and was sworn-in the following January. She was re-elected in 2012,2016,and 2020. After being indicted on a misdemeanor charge of misusing a state-issued vehicle,Wood announced that she would resign as state auditor,effective December 15,2023.
Beth A. Wood was born on April 22,1954,to Darrel Wood and Betty Wood in New Bern,North Carolina. [1] She grew up in Cove City,North Carolina. [2] She graduated from West Craven High School in 1972. [3] She graduated from Wayne Community College with an Associate's Degree and worked initially as a dental hygienist. [1] [4] After deciding she wanted to make more money,she enrolled at East Carolina University in 1982 to study accounting [2] and earned her Bachelor's of Science degree two years later. [1] She became a certified public accountant in 1987. She worked at the Rayovac Corporation,as a CPA for McGladrey &Pullen,and as the chief financial officer for a furniture company. [4]
In the mid-1990s Wood took a job in the Office of the North Carolina State Treasurer,where she was responsible for approving audits of local governments. In 1997,she applied for a position in the Office of the Auditor of North Carolina. She was not hired for the job,but State Auditor Ralph Campbell Jr. placed her in the office's training division. He later promoted her to head of the division. She continued to hold the post until she resigned in 2007 to challenge incumbent State Auditor Les Merritt in the 2008 election. [2]
Wood,a member of the Democratic Party,announced her intention to seek the office of State Auditor in December 2007. [3] Endorsed by Campbell,she defeated Fred Aikens in the May Democratic primary and faced Merritt in the general election. [5] She split her time between campaigning and working as an investigator for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. [6] During the 2008 campaign Wood accused Merritt of making partisan investigations, [2] particularly his decision to release a critical audit shortly before the election of trips to Europe in which state officials and First Lady of North Carolina Mary P. Easley spent $110,000. [7] Wood defeated Merritt in November by over 290,000 votes. [4] Political observers were surprised by her victory. [8]
Wood was re-elected in November 2012 by over 318,000 votes over Republican Debra Goldman. Wood was narrowly re-elected to a third term as state auditor in the 2016 general election over Republican Chuck Stuber by just 6,042 votes,margin of 0.14 percent. [4] She won another term in 2020. [9]
Wood was sworn in on January 10,2009, [10] becoming North Carolina's first female state auditor. [11] She slowed the office's pace of investigative auditing in her first term,citing her desire to produce stronger findings. She was widely criticized for not expeditiously releasing an audit of Easley's salary from North Carolina State University,with her critics accusing her of protecting a fellow Democrat from scrutiny. [12]
In 2013 Wood's office found that North Carolina spent the highest administration costs in the implementation of the Medicaid program among all the states. Auditors suggested that organizational issues in the Department of Health and Human Services led the state to spend $180 million more than necessary to administer the program. [13]
In 2017 the auditor's office found that the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services had not penalized some dairies' milk gradings despite recurrent sanitation and pest control violations. [14] The release of the audit led to a public dispute between Wood and Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler,who disputed the report's findings, [13] accused Wood of undermining dairy farmers,and asserted that she had publicly presented the audit more severely than her staff had communicated to the agriculture department. Wood countered by accusing the department of failing to follow its own inspection procedures and suggested that it was struggling to balance its responsibilities regarding both the regulation and promotion of agricultural products. [14]
In May 2020 the auditor's office released a critical review of the financial management of the city of Rocky Mount, [15] finding that a city councilman had used his office to suppress attempts by municipal workers to collect outstanding utility bills he owed. [13] In response,a state senator filed a bill meant to address local government corruption concerns. The NAACP and the city councilman named in the report denounced the audit and the legislation as racist attempts to thwart the political power of black citizens in the city. Wood defended the audit,saying,"Everything we have in our reports is backed by evidence [...] I am going to do my job. I don't care about the age,the race,the color,or the political party. I don't care." [16] The bill was passed into law in December 2021. [15]
On December 8,2022,Wood struck a parked car with a state owned vehicle in downtown Raleigh and failed to report the incident to the authorities or car owner,leaving the scene on foot and abandoning her vehicle with the engine running. Four days later she was charged with misdemeanor hit and run,property damage,and unsafe movement. [17] [18] She released a statement on January 23,2023,admitting to "personal responsibility" for striking the vehicle and leaving the scene. [19] The North Carolina Republican Party formally called for her resignation,while several leading Republican and Democratic officials bemoaned the incident but avoided directly asking for her departure. [13]
Wood later reimbursed the state and the owner of the other car for the damages and towing costs incurred,saying in a statement on February 28,"[A]ll I can do moving forward is take responsibility for the accident and fix what was broken. The accident does not define me,nor does it take away from the phenomenal work we've done in my administration." [20] On March 24,she pled guilty to the hit and run charge and was sentenced to pay a $100 fine and court fees. The unsafe movement citation was dropped. She admitted to the court that she had drunk two glasses of wine before the accident but insisted that she was not impaired. [21]
Wood announced in November 2023 that she would not seek reelection to the auditor's office in the 2024 elections. [22] After being indicted on a misdemeanor charge of misusing a state-issue vehicle,Wood announced that she would resign as state auditor effective December 15,2023. [23] She was replaced by Jessica Holmes on December 16. [24]
North Carolina Auditor Democratic primary election,2008 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Beth Wood | 801,308 | 64.48 |
Democratic | Fred Aikens | 441,411 | 35.52 |
North Carolina Auditor Election,2008 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Beth Wood | 2,175,242 | 53.57 |
Republican | Leslie Merritt (inc.) | 1,885,229 | 46.43 |
North Carolina Auditor Election,2012 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Beth Wood (inc.) | 2,299,541 | 53.71 |
Republican | Debra Goldman | 1,981,539 | 46.29 |
North Carolina Auditor Election,2016 [25] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Beth Wood (inc.) | 2,259,436 | 50.07 |
Republican | Chuck Stuber | 2,253,394 | 49.93 |
North Carolina Auditor Election,2020 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
Democratic | Beth Wood (inc.) | 2,730,175 | 50.88 |
Republican | Anthony Wayne Street | 2,635,825 | 49.12 |
WRAZ,branded Fox 50,is a television station licensed to Raleigh,North Carolina,United States,serving as the Fox affiliate for the Research Triangle area. It is locally owned by the Capitol Broadcasting Company alongside NBC affiliate WRAL-TV and WNGT-CD,which airs local news programming. The stations share studios at Capitol Broadcasting headquarters on Western Boulevard in Raleigh;WRAZ's transmitter is located near Auburn,North Carolina.
George Wayne Goodwin is an American politician. He was elected North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance in the 2008 election and re-elected in 2012. He was narrowly defeated in his bid for a third term in 2016. However,he quickly rebounded and was elected on February 11,2017,as chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party on the first ballot with 92% of the vote among four candidates.
Walter H. Dalton is an American attorney and politician who served as the 33rd Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party,he served six terms in the state senate before his election to the office of lieutenant governor in 2008.
Ralph Campbell Jr. was an American politician and auditor who served as the North Carolina State Auditor from 1993 to 2005. A member of the Democratic Party,he was the first African American to hold statewide elected executive office in North Carolina. Campbell was born in Raleigh,North Carolina,and he attended St. Augustine's College. He graduated with a degree in business administration in 1968,and served in the United States Army Reserve from 1971 until 1977. After leaving the reserve,he worked various government jobs before being elected to the Raleigh City Council in 1985.
Leslie Merritt Jr. is an American accountant and politician. A Republican,he served as the State Auditor of North Carolina from January 15,2005 to January 10,2009. Merrit was born in Sampson County. After graduating from college and marrying he moved to Zebulon and ran an accounting firm. He served on the Wake County Board of Commissioners from 1994 to 1998. He ran for the office of State Auditor of North Carolina in 2000 and lost,but was elected four years later. He lost a reelection bid four years later.
The North Carolina Council of State is the collective body of ten elective executive offices in the state government of North Carolina,all of which are established by the state constitution. The Council of State includes the Governor,Lieutenant Governor,Secretary of State,State Auditor,Treasurer,Superintendent of Public Instruction,Attorney General,Commissioner of Agriculture,Commissioner of Labor,and Commissioner of Insurance. Together with the North Carolina Cabinet and several independent agencies,the Council of State offices constitute the executive branch of North Carolina's state government.
The state auditor of North Carolina is a statewide elected office in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The state auditor is a constitutional officer responsible for overseeing and reviewing the financial accounts of all state government agencies. The auditor also conducts performance audits of state agencies,ensures state agencies' accounting conforms with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles,evaluates the integrity of computer-generated information,and investigates the misuse of state funds or property. The incumbent is Jessica Holmes,who became state auditor on December 16,2023.
The 2008 North Carolina gubernatorial election was held on November 4,2008,coinciding with the presidential,U.S. Senate,U.S. House elections,Council of State and statewide judicial elections. Democrat Bev Perdue won the election. With a margin of 3.39%,this election was the closest race of the 2008 gubernatorial election cycle.
Saint Augustine's University is a private historically black Christian college in Raleigh,North Carolina. It was founded by Episcopal clergy in 1867 for the education of freed slaves.
The commissioner of insurance is a statewide elected office in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The commissioner is a constitutional officer who leads the state's Department of Insurance and sits on the North Carolina Council of State. The current commissioner is Mike Causey,who has held that office since January 1,2017.
North Carolina elections to choose members of the Council of State were held November 4,2008. This coincided with the presidential,U.S. Senate,U.S. House,gubernatorial,and statewide judicial elections.
The North Carolina Council of State election of 2000 was held on 7 November 2000,to elect the Council of State. On the same day,North Carolina held elections for Governor and for Lieutenant Governor,who also formally sit in the Council of State.
Beverly Eaves Perdue is an American businesswoman,politician,and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 73rd governor of North Carolina from 2009 to 2013. She was the first female governor of North Carolina.
The North Carolina Council of State elections of 2012 were held November 6,2012 to select the nine officers of the North Carolina Council of State. This election coincided with the U.S. presidential election,U.S. House elections,the gubernatorial election and the statewide judicial elections. Primary elections were held on May 8,2012;for races in which no candidate received 40 percent of the vote in the primary,runoff elections were held on July 17.
The North Carolina Council of State elections of 2016 were held on November 8,2016 to select the ten officers of the North Carolina Council of State. This elections coincided with the presidential election,elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the Senate and state elections to the General Assembly and judiciary. Primary elections were held March 15.
The North Carolina Council of State elections of 2020 were held on November 3,2020,to select the ten officers of the North Carolina Council of State. These elections coincided with the presidential election,elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the Senate and elections to the North Carolina General Assembly and top state courts. Primary elections were held on March 3,2020,for offices for which more than one candidate filed per party.
Mark Keith Robinson is an American politician serving as the 35th lieutenant governor of North Carolina since 2021. A member of the Republican Party,he is the nominee for governor in the 2024 North Carolina gubernatorial election. He is North Carolina's first Black lieutenant governor and first Black major party nominee for governor.
June Elizabeth Kay Campbell was an American civil rights activist and administrative secretary.
The North Carolina Council of State elections of 2024 are scheduled to be held on November 5,2024,to select the ten officers of the North Carolina Council of State. These elections coincide with the presidential election,elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the North Carolina General Assembly and top state courts. Primary elections took place on March 5,2024,for offices for which more than one candidate filed per party.
Jessica Holmes is an American attorney and politician who has served as the 18th North Carolina State Auditor since December 16,2023,having filled the vacancy caused by the resignation of Beth Wood.