Office of the Washington State Auditor

Office of the Washington State Auditor Our Office works on behalf of the public to promote accountability and transparency of government in Washington state.

Our Vision:

Increased trust in government. Our work:

Our audits look at financial information and compliance with state, federal and local laws on the part of all local governments, including schools, and all state agencies, including institutions of higher education. In addition, we:

- Perform special investigations of fraud and whistleblower cases and referrals from our Citizen Hotline.
- Conduct performance audits of state agencies and local governments.
- Produce several annual reports addressing state, local and internal matters.
- Take our role as partners in accountability seriously. We provide training and technical assistance to government organizations and have an extensive program to coordinate audit efficiency and to ensure high-quality audits. To learn more, explore the material in the Center for Government Innovation. About Us

The State Auditor's Office is established in the state's Constitution as part of the executive branch of state government. Washington voters elect the State Auditor to four-year terms. As an agency led by an elected official, we have the independence to perform audits and investigations objectively. Our audits are designed to comply with professional standards and to satisfy the requirements of federal, state and local laws. Through statute established by the Washington State Legislature and more recently, by citizen initiative, the State Auditor has the statutory authority to audit every and all governments in the state. We report objectively and directly to the taxpayers about all levels of government regarding their stewardship of public funds.

ICYMI: Fraud was the focus of TVW's "The Impact" last week. More importantly, so was our Office's work to prevent it.
09/15/2026

ICYMI: Fraud was the focus of TVW's "The Impact" last week. More importantly, so was our Office's work to prevent it.

Air Date: September 9, 2026 Mike McClanahan, TVW

Booth setup loading…and complete. Stop by and see us at in Kennewick this week to learn how we support good government...
09/15/2026

Booth setup loading…and complete. Stop by and see us at in Kennewick this week to learn how we support good government!

Performance audits are designed to examine the efficiency and effectiveness of government programs on behalf of the publ...
09/15/2026

Performance audits are designed to examine the efficiency and effectiveness of government programs on behalf of the public, and the result of voter-approved Initiative 900.

Interested in what we’ve been working on? Check out this presentation by our experts streaming live on TVW on Wednesday, Sept. 16 starting at 1 p.m.: https://ow.ly/AzzT50ZL2VK

ICYMI: This story from My Bellingham Now cites SAO's Financial Intelligence Tool (FIT) as a service that "maps local gov...
09/15/2026

ICYMI: This story from My Bellingham Now cites SAO's Financial Intelligence Tool (FIT) as a service that "maps local government finances in a comprehensive format."

Want to see how YOUR city is spending public dollars? Start exploring today: https://portal.sao.wa.gov/FIT/explore/government

The council may reconsider the criminal justice tax in the future after more changes are made.

Get ready: We've corralled some of our best presenters and most important topics for this week in Kennewick! Check out...
09/14/2026

Get ready: We've corralled some of our best presenters and most important topics for this week in Kennewick! Check out our latest blog post for the full lineup.

At this year’s Washington Finance Officers Association (WFOA) conference in Kennewick, we’re here to connect with you and provide support and training all week long. Throughout the conference and beyond, this webpage serves as a hub for helpful articles, tools, resources and guidance created to ...

Financial experts from across the state will be gathering in Kennewick later this week for this year’s Washington Financ...
09/14/2026

Financial experts from across the state will be gathering in Kennewick later this week for this year’s Washington Finance Officers Association (WFOA) annual conference.

Our Office will be well represented, with team members ready to share their insights and collaborate with colleagues in governmental finance. Looking forward to connecting—hope to see you there!

Speak with a friendly and knowledgeable SAO representative and learn what it's like to serve the public as a member of o...
09/14/2026

Speak with a friendly and knowledgeable SAO representative and learn what it's like to serve the public as a member of our Office! Join us:

+ Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 5-7 p.m. at the WSU Vancouver Meet the Firms Event in the Firstenburg Student Commons. More info: https://ow.ly/XuCJ50Zyha9

+ Friday, Sept. 18 from 9-11 a.m. at the Whitworth University Meet The Firms Event

Brandi Pritchard of SAO’s Special Investigations Division joins TVW -- Washington Public Affairs Network's The Impact to...
09/14/2026

Brandi Pritchard of SAO’s Special Investigations Division joins TVW -- Washington Public Affairs Network's The Impact to discuss recent fraud cases, common red flags, and how governments can better safeguard public funds.

State audits highlight alleged misuse of public funding that nearly drained one small town's bank account. From municipal cash withdrawals to missing

relies on secure elections. Contact Washington State Elections with any questions about ballot drop box locations and ...
09/10/2026

relies on secure elections. Contact Washington State Elections with any questions about ballot drop box locations and more.

09/10/2026

Our unofficial mascot, Theo the Wonder Corgi, seems to be casting some interesting shadows this time of year.

Address

Olympia, WA
98504

Telephone

+15649990950

Website

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