Lea to seek re-election as state auditor in 2018

State Auditor Andrea Lea announced Tuesday she plans to seek re-election for a second term in 2018.

The Republican from Russellville considered running for another statewide office, secretary of state. She said she decided to run for re-election because “I’ve told everyone all along I absolutely love the job. I just do.

“I think that the people who work here have helped do a fantastic job. We’ve taken what was kind of a nonoffice into the forefront and worked really hard to get Arkansans back their money,” Lea said.

The state auditor serves as a general accountant for the state and the payroll officer for the state’s executive, legislative and judicial branches, according to the office’s website. The post also administers Arkansas’ unclaimed property program, also known as the Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt, to connect Arkansans with their unclaimed property and allow current and past residents to collect their property at any time. The unclaimed property program predates Lea.

“In thinking about it, I thought, I really love it, why change? I’ve got much more to do in the office,” Lea said.

No one else has signaled an interest yet in running for auditor in 2018. The job has an annual salary of $85,000.

Lea, 60, served in the House from 2009-15 and previously was on the Pope County Quorum Court and Russellville City Council.

Bryant Democrat Charlie Daniels was her predecessor as state auditor.

In 2014, Lea defeated Little Rock Democrat Regina Stewart Hampton 57.2 percent to 37.4 percent with Fort Smith Libertarian candidate Brian Leach picking up 5.4 percent of the vote. Earlier that year in the Republican primary, she beat Ken Yang of Benton 68.2 percent to 31.8 percent.

In deciding not to seek the office held by term-limited Secretary of State Mark Martin, Lea avoids a Republican primary election against state Land Commissioner John Thurston of Little Rock. Thurston announced in June his plans to run for the job. Mabelvale Democrat Anthony Bland, who is a media technician at the Little Rock School District, a business consultant and martial arts teacher, and House Speaker Jeremy Gillam, R-Judsonia, said they each plan to decide this summer whether they’ll run for secretary of state.

The secretary of state’s office oversees elections, incorporations and maintenance of the state Capitol. That job pays an annual salary of $90,000.

In a news release announcing her re-election bid, Lea cited several accomplishments, including:

■ Returning $35.3 million to Arkansans through the Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt and having 5,000 more Arkansans claim assets in 2016 than in any year in a previous administration, while reducing advertising costs. The office paid out $19.9 million in 2014 in Daniels’ last year in the office. Under Lea, the office paid out $12.2 million in 2015, $18.6 million in 2016 and $4.5 million during the first three months of 2017, according to office records. The office paid 34,159 claims in 2014 before paying 16,627 in 2015, 39,722 in 2016 and 8,048 in the first three months of 2017, the records show.

The advertising costs declined from $242,520 in 2015 to $66,820 in fiscal 2016, Lea spokesman Skot Covert said.

■ Giving $33.6 million from unclaimed property to the state’s general revenue fund. That includes $20.6 million in 2016 and $13 million in 2015, said Covert.

■ Leaving an average of eight full-time positions unfilled, reducing the staff by 28 percent and saving $578,238 a year. She said she started with 36 filled positions in the office in 2015.

“I have turned back five positions to the state since I became auditor,” she said.

■ Winning the Center for Digital Government’s achievement award for using technology to increase Great Arkansas Treasure Hunt claims. She said said she wants to keep working on improving the website because “right now 50 percent of people claim online,” and she wants to further increase the number of online claims.

Before she was elected in 2014, Lea said she would keep the office transparent and scandal-free.

Last year, Lea’s former chief deputy, George Franks, who resigned in July 2015, provided text messages to a reporter showing Lea instructed employees to use private email accounts.

After initially denying she instructed anyone to use private email accounts on state business, Lea acknowledged in March 2016 she made “an incorrect statement” to the reporter. At that time, she said she planned three policy changes.

“That was an embarrassment that that flub happened,” Lea said Tuesday. “But it was absolutely not intentional and anyone who followed me for six years prior to that would know.”