A county auditor is permitted by law¹ to appoint as many as five² deputy auditors as unclassified employees. Deputy auditors may perform any of the duties of the auditor³ but may not exercise the authorities of the auditor such as acting as a member of the county board of revision or county budget commission.

It is prudent for a county auditor to appoint deputies for several reasons. One is that so the function of the auditor’s office is not impeded when the auditor can not be present. A second is to provide for one or more knowledgeable successors to run for election to fill the vacancy formed when the auditor leaves office.

Currently Portage County has no deputy auditors. None of the five candidates for that office have worked in it. That is regrettable. Much of the operation of the office is based on personal rather that institutional knowledge. Far too much of it, to the detriment of Portage County. But that is a topic for another post.

As Auditor, I will appoint two or three deputies. As I only intend to serve one term, I would hope that each would run for election to the office in 2026.

1. R.C. 319.05
2. R.C. 124.11(A)(4)
3. R.C. 3.06(A)