{{short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Beth Wood |office = 17th Auditor of North Carolina |governor = Bev Perdue<br>Pat McCrory<br>Roy Cooper |term_start = January 10, 2009 |term_end = December 15, 2023 |predecessor = Les Merritt |successor = Jessica Holmes |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1954|4|22}} |birth_place = New Bern, North Carolina, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Democratic |education = Wayne Community College (AS)<br>East Carolina University (BA) }} '''Beth A. Wood''' (born April 22, 1954) is an American politician and accountant who formerly served as the Auditor of North Carolina from 2009 until 2023. A Democrat, she is the first woman to hold the office. Born in New Bern, she initially worked as a dental hygienist before getting a degree in accounting in 1984. In the mid-1990s Wood took a job in the Office of the North Carolina State Treasurer, where she was responsible for approving audits of local governments. She later took a job in the office of the Auditor of North Carolina, and was promoted to head of the training division.
Wood successfully challenged incumbent State Auditor Les Merritt in the 2008 election and was sworn-in the following January. She was re-elected in 2012, 2016, and 2020. After being indicted on a misdemeanor charge of misusing a state-issued vehicle, Wood announced that she would resign as the North Carolina state auditor, effective December 15, 2023.
== Early life == Beth A. Wood was born on April 22, 1954, to Darrel Wood and Betty Wood in New Bern, North Carolina.{{sfn|North Carolina Manual|2011|p=173}} She grew up in Cove City, North Carolina.<ref name= niolet>{{cite news| last = Niolet | first = Benjamin | title = State auditor is sure of herself, her staff: Beth Wood is confident she can zealously guard the use of state taxpayers' dollars | newspaper = The News & Observer | date = December 30, 2008}} {{ProQuest|456371948}}</ref> She graduated from West Craven High School in 1972.<ref name= sawyer>{{cite news| last = Sawyer| first = Francine| title = Cove City native to seek state auditor's job| newspaper = Sun Journal| date = December 5, 2007}} {{ProQuest|458889196}}</ref> She graduated from Wayne Community College with an Associate's Degree and worked initially as a dental hygienist.{{sfn|North Carolina Manual|2011|p=173}}<ref name= dillon/> After deciding she wanted to make more money, she enrolled at East Carolina University in 1982 to study accounting<ref name= niolet/> and earned her Bachelor's of Science degree two years later.{{sfn|North Carolina Manual|2011|p=173}} She became a certified public accountant in 1987. She worked at the Rayovac Corporation, as a CPA for McGladrey & Pullen, and as the chief financial officer for a furniture company.<ref name= dillon>{{cite news |last1=Dillon |first1= A.P.|title=State Auditor faces primary challenger, former employees |url=http://nsjonline.com/article/2020/02/state-auditor-faces-primary-challenger-former-employees/ |accessdate=23 February 2020 |work=The North State Journal |date=20 February 2020}}</ref>
In the mid-1990s Wood took a job in the Office of the North Carolina State Treasurer, where she was responsible for approving audits of local governments. In 1997, she applied for a position in the Office of the Auditor of North Carolina. She was not hired for the job, but State Auditor Ralph Campbell Jr. placed her in the office's training division. He later promoted her to head of the division. She continued to hold the post until she resigned in 2007 to challenge incumbent State Auditor Les Merritt in the 2008 election.<ref name= niolet/>
== State Auditor == === Elections === Wood, a member of the Democratic Party, announced her intention to seek the office of State Auditor in December 2007.<ref name= sawyer/> Endorsed by Campbell, she defeated Fred Aikens in the May Democratic primary and faced Merritt in the general election.<ref>{{cite news | last = Kane | first = Dan | title = Brief : State Auditor | newspaper = The News & Observer | date = May 7, 2008}} {{ProQuest|465255858}}</ref> She split her time between campaigning and working as an investigator for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.<ref>{{cite news| last = Niolet| first = Benjamin| title = State auditor is behind on her property taxes| newspaper = The News & Observer| date = February 17, 2010}} {{ProQuest|458664234}}</ref> During the 2008 campaign Wood accused Merritt of making partisan investigations,<ref name= niolet/> particularly his decision to release a critical audit shortly before the election of trips to Europe in which state officials and First Lady of North Carolina Mary P. Easley spent $110,000.<ref>{{cite news| last = Niolet | first = Benjamin | title = Looks like a win for Wood as auditor | newspaper = The News & Observer | date = November 5, 2008}} {{ProQuest|456892704}}</ref> Wood defeated Merritt in November by over 290,000 votes.<ref name= dillon/> Political observers were surprised by her victory.{{sfn|Eamon|2014|pp=294–295}}
Wood was re-elected in November 2012 by over 318,000 votes over Republican Debra Goldman. Wood was narrowly re-elected to a third term as state auditor in the 2016 general election over Republican Chuck Stuber by just 6,042 votes, margin of 0.14 percent.<ref name= dillon/> She won another term in 2020.<ref>{{cite news| title = Wood wins re-election for State Auditor | newspaper = The North State Journal | date = November 5, 2020| url = https://nsjonline.com/article/2020/11/wood-wins-re-election-for-state-auditor/| access-date = April 18, 2022}}</ref>
=== Tenure === Wood was sworn in on January 10, 2009,<ref>{{cite news| last1 = Bonner| first1 = Lynn| last2 = Niolet| first2 = Benjamin| title = Council of State also sworn in today: These four among those who will help the new governor steer the ship of state| newspaper = The News & Observer| date = January 10, 2009}} {{ProQuest|456309015}}</ref> becoming North Carolina's first female state auditor.{{sfn|North Carolina Manual|2011|p=174}} She slowed the office's pace of investigative auditing in her first term, citing her desire to produce stronger findings. She was widely criticized for not expeditiously releasing an audit of Easley's salary from North Carolina State University, with her critics accusing her of protecting a fellow Democrat from scrutiny.<ref name= niolet2>{{cite news| last = Niolet| first = Benjamin| title = Wood slows pace of audits | newspaper = The News & Observer | date = March 17, 2010}} {{ProQuest|458456908}}</ref>
In 2013 Wood's office found that North Carolina spent the highest administration costs in the implementation of the Medicaid program among all the states. Auditors suggested that organizational issues in the Department of Health and Human Services led the state to spend $180 million more than necessary to administer the program.<ref name= specht/>
In 2017 the auditor's office found that the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services had not penalized some dairies' milk gradings despite recurrent sanitation and pest control violations.<ref name=burns>{{cite web| url = https://www.wral.com/auditor-fires-back-at-ag-commissioner-over-milk-inspections/16781195/| title = Auditor fires back at ag commissioner over milk inspections| last = Burns| first = Matthew | date = June 23, 2017| website = WRAL-TV| publisher = Capitol Broadcasting Company| access-date = January 31, 2023}}</ref> The release of the audit led to a public dispute between Wood and Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler, who disputed the report's findings,<ref name= specht/> accused Wood of undermining dairy farmers, and asserted that she had publicly presented the audit more severely than her staff had communicated to the agriculture department. Wood countered by accusing the department of failing to follow its own inspection procedures and suggested that it was struggling to balance its responsibilities regarding both the regulation and promotion of agricultural products.<ref name=burns/>
In May 2020 the auditor's office released a critical review of the financial management of the city of Rocky Mount,<ref name= west>{{cite news| last = West| first = William F.| title = Small-Toney leaves post after tumultuous tenure| newspaper = Rocky Mount Telegram| date = January 21, 2022| url = https://www.rockymounttelegram.com/news/local/small-toney-leaves-post-after-tumultuous-tenure/article_007009f4-11de-5aaf-ba99-e4a762debaf4.html| access-date = April 18, 2022}}</ref> finding that a city councilman had used his office to suppress attempts by municipal workers to collect outstanding utility bills he owed.<ref name= specht/> In response, a state senator filed a bill meant to address local government corruption concerns. The NAACP and the city councilman named in the report denounced the audit and the legislation as racist attempts to thwart the political power of black citizens in the city. Wood defended the audit, saying, "Everything we have in our reports is backed by evidence [...] I am going to do my job. I don't care about the age, the race, the color, or the political party. I don't care."<ref>{{cite news | last = Woodhouse| first = Dallas| title = NAACP accuses auditor, senator of racism amid corruption probe| newspaper = The Richmond Observer| agency = Carolina Journal News Service| date = June 30, 2021 | url = https://www.richmondobserver.com/national-news/item/12683-naacp-accuses-auditor-senator-of-racism-amid-corruption-probe.html | access-date = April 18, 2022}}</ref> The bill was passed into law in December 2021.<ref name= west/>
=== Car crash ===
On December 8, 2022, Wood struck a parked car with a state owned vehicle in downtown Raleigh and failed to report the incident to the authorities or car owner, leaving the scene on foot and abandoning her vehicle with the engine running. Four days later she was charged with misdemeanor hit and run, property damage, and unsafe movement.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.wral.com/nc-state-auditor-beth-wood-faces-hit-and-run-charge/20678389/| title = NC State Auditor Beth Wood faces hit-and-run charge| last = Talhelm| first = Matt| date = January 18, 2023| website = WRAL-TV| publisher = Capitol Broadcasting Corporation| access-date = January 19, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bajpai |first=Avi |date=January 18, 2023 |title=Beth Wood, North Carolina state auditor, charged with hit and run |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article271349017.html |access-date=January 19, 2023 |website=News & Observer}}</ref> She released a statement on January 23, 2023, admitting to "personal responsibility" for striking the vehicle and leaving the scene.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.wral.com/i-was-shaken-nc-auditor-beth-wood-says-she-was-leaving-a-holiday-gathering-the-night-of-hit-and-run/20685213/| title = State Auditor Beth Wood says she was 'shaken' and regrets leaving scene of post-gathering crash| last = Talhelm| first = Matt| date = January 23, 2023| website = WRAL-TV| publisher = Capitol Broadcasting Company| access-date = January 23, 2023}}</ref> The North Carolina Republican Party formally called for her resignation, while several leading Republican and Democratic officials bemoaned the incident but avoided directly asking for her departure.<ref name= specht>{{cite web| url = https://www.wral.com/unanswered-crash-questions-threaten-legacy-of-state-auditor-beth-wood-champion-of-government-transparency/20692921/| title = Unanswered crash questions threaten legacy of State Auditor Beth Wood, champion of government transparency| last = Specht| first = Paul| date = January 29, 2023| website = WRAL-TV| publisher = Capitol Broadcasting Company| access-date = January 31, 2023}}</ref>
Wood later reimbursed the state and the owner of the other car for the damages and towing costs incurred, saying in a statement on February 28, "[A]ll I can do moving forward is take responsibility for the accident and fix what was broken. The accident does not define me, nor does it take away from the phenomenal work we've done in my administration."<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.wral.com/state-auditor-beth-wood-covers-damage-towing-costs-for-crashed-state-car/20740886/| title = State Auditor Beth Wood covers damage, towing costs for crashed state car| date = February 28, 2023| website = WRAL-TV| publisher = Capitol Broadcasting Company| access-date = March 1, 2023}}</ref> On March 24, she pled guilty to the hit and run charge and was sentenced to pay a $100 fine and court fees. The unsafe movement citation was dropped. She admitted to the court that she had drunk two glasses of wine before the accident but insisted that she was not impaired.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.wral.com/state-auditor-beth-wood-pleads-guilty-to-hit-and-run-charge/20777571/| title = State Auditor Beth Wood pleads guilty to hit-and-run charge| last = Talhelm| first = Matt| date = March 23, 2023| website = WRAL-TV| publisher = Capitol Broadcasting Company| access-date = March 24, 2023}}</ref>
Wood announced in November 2023 that she would not seek reelection to the auditor's office in the 2024 elections.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.wral.com/story/nc-auditor-beth-wood-won-t-run-for-reelection-after-all/21127244/| title = NC Auditor Beth Wood won't seek reelection after all| date = November 1, 2023| website = WRAL-TV| publisher = Capitol Broadcasting Company| access-date = November 2, 2023}}</ref> After being indicted on a misdemeanor charge of misusing a state-issue vehicle, Wood announced that she would resign as state auditor effective December 15, 2023.<ref>{{cite news |title=NC Auditor Beth Wood announces resignation after grand jury indictment she misused state-issued car |url=https://abc11.com/beth-wood-resignation-hit-and-run-misuse-state-car/14035828/ |access-date=November 10, 2023 |publisher=WTVD |date=November 9, 2023}}</ref> She was replaced by Jessica Holmes via gubernatorial appointment on December 16.<ref name= fainmiller>{{cite web| url = https://www.wral.com/story/authentic-and-transparent-new-state-auditor-sworn-in-after-beth-wood-s-guilty-plea-resignation/21197772/| title = 'Authentic and transparent:' New state auditor sworn in after Beth Wood's guilty plea, resignation| last1 = Fain| first1 = Travis| last2 = Miller| first2 = Eric| date = December 16, 2023| website = WRAL-TV| publisher = Capitol Broadcasting Company| access-date = December 16, 2023}}</ref> Wood later criticized the selection of Holmes, stating that her chief deputy in the auditor's office was better qualified to run the agency until the next election.<ref name= bajpai>{{cite news| last = Bajpai| first = Avi| title = Beth Wood says new NC auditor is 'not qualified.' Here's how Jessica Holmes responds.| newspaper = The News & Observer| date = September 9, 2024| url = https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article291491960.html| access-date = September 15, 2024}}</ref>
== Later career == After leaving the auditor's office, Wood became the director of rural government services at an accounting firm.<ref name= bajpai/>
== Electoral history == {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" |North Carolina Auditor Democratic primary election, 2008 |- |'''Party''' |'''Candidate''' |'''Votes''' |'''%''' |- |'''Democratic''' |'''Beth Wood''' |'''801,308''' |'''64.48''' |- |Democratic |Fred Aikens |441,411 |35.52 |} {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" |North Carolina Auditor Election, 2008 |- |'''Party''' |'''Candidate''' |'''Votes''' |'''%''' |- |'''Democratic''' |'''Beth Wood''' |'''2,175,242''' |'''53.57''' |- |Republican |Leslie Merritt (inc.) |1,885,229 |46.43 |} {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" |North Carolina Auditor Election, 2012 |- |'''Party''' |'''Candidate''' |'''Votes''' |'''%''' |- |'''Democratic''' |'''Beth Wood (inc.)''' |'''2,299,541''' |'''53.71''' |- |Republican |Debra Goldman |1,981,539 |46.29 |}
{| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" |North Carolina Auditor Election, 2016<ref name="dupeRefA">{{cite web |title=11/08/2016 OFFICIAL GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS - STATEWIDE |url=https://er.ncsbe.gov/?election_dt=11/08/2016&county_id=0&office=COS&contest=0 |website=North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement |accessdate=29 July 2018}}</ref> |- |'''Party''' |'''Candidate''' |'''Votes''' |'''%''' |- |'''Democratic''' |'''Beth Wood (inc.)''' |'''2,259,436''' |'''50.07''' |- |Republican |Chuck Stuber |2,253,394 |49.93 |} {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="4" |North Carolina Auditor Election, 2020 |- |'''Party''' |'''Candidate''' |'''Votes''' |'''%''' |- |'''Democratic''' |'''Beth Wood (inc.)''' |'''2,730,175''' |'''50.88''' |- |Republican |Anthony Wayne Street |2,635,825 |49.12 |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== Works cited == * {{cite book| last = Eamon| first = Tom| title = The Making of a Southern Democracy: North Carolina Politics from Kerr Scott to Pat McCrory| publisher = UNC Press Books| date = 2014| isbn = 9781469606972}} - [https://books.google.com/books?id=6ZX9AQAAQBAJ See profile at] Google Books * {{cite book| title = North Carolina Manual| publisher = North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State| date = 2011| location = Raleigh| url = https://www.sosnc.gov/static_forms/publications/nc_manual/2011_2012/Council_Of_State_Executive.pdf| oclc = 2623953| ref = {{harvid|North Carolina Manual|2011}}| archive-date = August 2, 2023| access-date = April 18, 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230802190706/https://www.sosnc.gov/static_forms/publications/nc_manual/2011_2012/Council_Of_State_Executive.pdf| url-status = dead}}
== External links == * [https://www.ncauditor.net/pub42/ Auditor Beth Wood] official government website * [https://www.bethwoodcampaign.com/ Campaign website] * {{Ballotpedia|Beth_Wood_(North_Carolina)|Beth Wood}} * {{CongLinks|votesmart=110905}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Ralph Campbell Jr.}} {{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for North Carolina State Auditor|years=2008, 2012, 2016, 2020}} {{s-aft|after=Jessica Holmes}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Les Merritt}} {{s-ttl|title=Auditor of North Carolina|years=2009–2023}} {{s-aft|after=Jessica Holmes}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, Beth}} Category:1954 births Category:21st-century North Carolina politicians Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:American accountants Category:American women accountants Category:East Carolina University alumni Category:Living people Category:North Carolina Democrats Category:North Carolina politicians convicted of crimes Category:North Carolina state auditors Category:Women in North Carolina politics