Public Auditor of Guam

The Public Auditor of Guam is an elected territorial office independent of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the Government of Guam. Five individuals have held the office of Public Auditor since its creation in 1994. The incumbent is Benjamin Cruz.

Election and term of office

The auditor was initially appointed to a six-year term by the governor after a commission recommended at least three candidates, and then be subject to a retention vote by voters (similar to judges).^[1] Neither appointed auditor served long enough to face a retention election. In 1999, legislation changed the office to a nonpartisan election with four-year terms and no term limits.^[2]

Powers and duties

The Public Auditor heads Guam's Office of Public Accountability, which is tasked with promoting effective management of public resources through audits of territorial agencies and local governments and administration of procurement appeals.^[3] The Public Auditor is also responsible for:

1. maintaining a government ethics training program for elected and appointed public officials;^[4]
2. operating a hotline for investigating citizen concerns and whistleblower complaints of fraud and abuse of power;^[5] and
3. publishing meeting agendas and approved minutes prepared by territorial agencies, boards, commissions, and public corporations.^[6]

History

The position of Public Auditor was established in 1992 and was originally appointed. In 2000, Doris Flores Brooks became the first Public Auditor elected.

List of Public Auditors (1994–present)

Appointed auditors

Name	Start	End
Robert Cruz[1]	1994	1998
Sonny Shelton[1]	1998	January 1, 2001

Elected auditors

Name	Start	End	Party Officially Nonpartisan
Doris Brooks[3][7]	January 1, 2001	June 8, 2018		Republican
Yukari Hechanova Acting	June 8, 2018	September 13, 2018		Republican
Benjamin Cruz[8]	September 13, 2018	present		Democratic

See also

• State auditor
• Politics of Guam

References

1. "Public Auditor | Office of Public Accountability (OPA) – Guam Public Auditor".
2. By law, the post of public auditor is strictly nonpartisan. No candidate for the office may declare a partisan affiliation, and if previously affiliated with a political party a candidate must renounce their membership. Moreover, no candidate for the office of public auditor may seek the endorsement of or receive financial or material support from a political party. Any violation of these requirements invalidates the candidacy of the affected individual for public auditor. See "§ 1903., Guam Code Annotated" (PDF). Guam Compiler of Laws. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
3. "About OPA". Guam Office of Public Accountability (OPA). Retrieved April 9, 2023.
4. "Ethics in Government Program". Guam Office of Public Accountability. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
5. "Hotline and Citizen Concerns". Guam Office of Public Accountability. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
6. "Board and Commission Meetings". Retrieved August 2, 2023.
7. Cagurangan, Mar-Vic (May 30, 2018). "Flores-Brooks quits OPA, eyes Congress seat". pacificislandtimes.com. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.()
8. "Benjamin J.F. Cruz Sworn into Office as Guam's Public Auditor". Guam Office of Public Accountability (OPA). September 24, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2023.