The League of Women Voters [LWV] of McLean County is endorsing a ballot initiative to eliminate the office of McLean County's elected auditor.
The office oversees county finances.
The county board voted in June to place the referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot. The proposal requires a simple majority to pass.
Voters rejected a previous effort to eliminate the office in 2014.
The LWV, a nonpartisan organization, said in a statement on Wednesday the auditor should be appointed because the office doesn't set policy.
"The public has little, if any, actual insight into how well the county auditor's duties are being performed,” said league president Laurie Wollrab. “Its elimination would also do away with functions already being performed by other county offices and by a state-required outside auditing firm."
The league also argues the county auditor's tasks could be streamlined to save the county up to $100,000 in the first year, and would not reduce financial oversight.
“Modern finance software, along with better internal communication, will improve accuracy and efficiencies in auditing-related functions. This will result in significant tax savings,” said the league, noting the county auditor's 2025 salary is budgeted at nearly $84,000.
Current county auditor Michelle Anderson has been in post since 2009. She’s won reelection three times and is running unopposed in the November election. She has repeatedly clashed with county officials over disagreements about the office’s scope, and late payments that have violated contracts.
McLean is one of 16 Illinois counties that has an elected auditor.
Anderson did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
