The 2024 primary election season is well underway. For those that want to vote early, early voting runs through March 2 and voters in North Carolina can do same-day registration at a precinct of their choosing. If you’re voting on Election Day, March 5, then you’ll have to go to your assigned precinct. You can find that info here.
The Office of the State Auditor performs financial statement audits for the state of North Carolina, state agencies, state universities, community colleges and other units of state government. The objective of a financial statement audit is to determine whether an agency’s financial statements are fairly presented.
The state auditor is elected every four years during presidential election years and does not have a term limit.
Incumbent Jessica Holmes, a Democrat, and Libertarian Bob Drach are both running unopposed and advance to the November election.
Republican primary
Dave Boliek
Despite the fact that he was a longtime Democrat, Dave Boliek changed his party registration in mid 2023 and now promotes himself as a “conservative Republican” on his campaign website.
In an interview with NC Newsline, Boliek said that he “migrated to the Republican Party because [he] feel like the Democratic Party in North Carolina has left [him] behind.”
The fiscal conservative and traditional Christian currently serves on the UNC Board of Trustees, and formerly served as the chairman from 2021-23, notably during the Nikole Hannah-Jones controversy. NC Newsline reported that Boliek was just one of four of the 13 members of the board to vote “no” when it came to granting tenure to Hannah-Jones.
From 1998-2001, Boliek worked as an assistant district attorney in Cumberland County. After leaving, he worked in private practice, with success working “with DMV regulations, ABC regulations and consulting on health care matters,” according to his campaign website.
Boliek has raised more than $447,000 and reported having $395,000 ending cash on hand as of January.
Jack Clark
On his website Jack Clark argues that he is the only certified public accountant running for state auditor. At 32 years old, Clark is likely the youngest candidate in the race. Clark attended Duke where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics. He went on to work as an external auditor for Grant Thornton and currently works on budget policy in the General Assembly.
One of Clark’s platforms includes a willingness to be “agile and responsive to the changes happening in the audit profession” by modernizing tools used, “such as utilizing more data analytics.”
As of December 2023, Clark had raised more than $14,000 and had $9,420 cash on hand.
Charles Dingee
Charles Dingee began his professional career in banking and currently works as a realtor in Raleigh. He has served as a precinct chair in Wake County for the Republican party and served as chairman of the Wake County Young Republicans for two terms. He later became the first Vice Chair of the Wake County Republican Party and served as Chairman for the 13th Congressional District.
According to campaign finance reports, Dingee had raised more than $73,000 and had about $39,000 ending cash on hand as of January. In February, Dingee took out a loan of $20,000 to supplement his campaign.
Jim Kee
Former Greensboro City Councilmember (District 2 from 2009-13) Jim Kee initially had his eyes set on either Greensboro mayor or state lieutenant governor, according to reporting by the Rhino Times from February 2023.
According to the Rhino, Kee’s platforms at the time included lowering taxes, increasing business, a focus on affordable housing, supporting the police, increasing teacher pay and being anti-abortion.
His campaign website for state auditor is lean, with few platform details that relate to the position of state auditor. However, a photo of Kee with current State Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who is running for governor this year, is posted prominently on the home page.
Kee is the executive director of Concepts Innovators CDC, Inc. which develops senior and veteran housing in Greensboro, as well as an aquaponics urban farm and solar farm. He is an NC A&T State University alum, and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in economics.
As of December 2023, Kee had raised about $2,900 and had $340 cash on hand.
Jeff Tarte
Former NC State Senator Jeff Tarte represented District 41 from 2013-19 and served as mayor of Cornelius from 2007-12. During his time as state senator, he chaired the Oversight Committee for more than 20 North Carolina state agencies, a role that included overseeing the Office of State Auditor, according to his campaign website.
Tarte currently works as a partner at Cribb Philbeck, LLC, a consulting firm in Charlotte. He was appointed to the Information Technology Strategy Board by NC Senate President Pro Tem. Phil Berger.
On his website, Tarte lists values like impartiality and independence as his mission.
“As your State Auditor, if the [Office of the State Auditor] finds financial mismanagement, waste, or fraud, I will report without apology, as this is my ultimate responsibility to the taxpayers of North Carolina,” he notes.
As of December 2023, Tarte had raised $41,000 and had $40,688 cash on hand.
Anthony Wayne (Tony Street)
No website
This is not Anthony Wayne’s first time running for state auditor. In 2020, Wayne filed for candidacy, ultimately losing to Democrat Beth Wood by less than 2 percentage points. And despite his nearly successful run, a past of criminal charges continues to plague Wayne’s 2024 campaign.
A quick Google search of Wayne’s name doesn’t yield a campaign website. Instead, articles by the News & Observer and even the Rhino Times outline Wayne’s troubled past, which includes misdemeanors of simple assault, stalking, resisting a public officer, disorderly conduct and communicating threats. According to the N&O, the charges date back to 2012 starting with the simple assault charge, which was ultimately dismissed. Perhaps the most serious charges relate to multiple stalking charges against Wayne, all against the same victim for occasions taking place in 2017 and 2018.
As of December 2023, Wayne had raised about $31,000 (including a $30,000 personal loan) and had $22,000 cash on hand.
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