Democrat incumbent George Danos has won reelection in the Champaign County auditor’s race, defeating Republican challenger Alan Anderson, 54-to-46 with 100% of precincts counted.
This year’s ballot also included a referendum to eliminate the elected Champaign County auditor’s office. Voters rejected that proposal 60-to-40.
The county auditor is tasked with conducting annual audits on county finances, auditing claims against the county, paying valid claims and designing and maintaining an accounting system.
Danos, who’s held the office since 2018, could not be reached for comment on election night, but in an interview with IPM News in October, he said there was a lot at stake with the auditor’s race.
“The main one is the kind of government you want, and whether you maintain taxpayer advocacy, embodied in the auditor, who provides an important check and balance,” he said.
In Illinois, 17 out of 102 counties have an elected auditor. Supporters of the referendum to eliminate the auditor’s office in Champaign County said the move would save taxpayer dollars, arguing the elected role was not necessary.
Champaign County Executive Steve Summers told IPM News the effort to eliminate the auditor’s office goes back many years and is not related to recent issues with Danos during his current term. Had the referendum passed, he said the County Board likely would have taken steps to hire a new position in his office to do the auditor’s work.
Both Anderson and Danos campaigned to keep the auditor’s office, citing concerns about potential fraud.