South Carolina to Elect Comptroller General on Nov. 3

Candidates Tiffany Boozer and Mike Burkhold compete for the seat following the 2023 resignation of Richard Eckstrom.

Updated on Oct. 19, 2026 in Public Companies

South Carolina to Elect Comptroller General on Nov. 3

Live Poll

Should government financial oversight offices be led by career accountants or private sector business executives?

South Carolina voters will head to the polls on Nov. 3, 2026, to elect a new comptroller general. The race follows the 2023 resignation of Richard Eckstrom, who stepped down after a $3.5 billion accounting error was discovered.

Why it matters

The election aims to restore public trust and modernize state financial systems following a decade of accounting discrepancies. Candidates are focused on improving transparency to prevent a repeat of past reporting failures.

A reporting error led to an overstatement of state cash balances by $3.5 billion over a decade, while a separate $11 million Capital Reserve Fund discrepancy recently delayed fiscal 2025-26 reports.

The players

Tiffany Boozer

She has worked as the office's quality assurance manager since January 2025 and is a candidate for comptroller general.

Mike Burkhold

He is a candidate for comptroller general and the founder of the health care technology company Equiscript.

Richard Eckstrom

He served as the comptroller general of South Carolina until his resignation in 2023.

The details

Tiffany Boozer, who has served as the office's quality assurance manager since January 2025, is running against Mike Burkhold, the founder of the health care technology firm Equiscript. The candidates seek to address systemic issues that previously resulted in funds for colleges and universities being counted twice.

State cash balances were overstated by $3.5 billion between 2013 and 2023.
Richard Eckstrom resigned as comptroller general in 2023.
Tiffany Boozer became the office's quality assurance manager in January 2025.
Financial reports for fiscal 2025-26 were delayed due to a fund discrepancy.
South Carolina voters choose the new comptroller general on November 3, 2026.

Market Landscape

The election follows a breakdown in compliance with South Carolina's Capital Reserve Fund statutory requirements that stalled state reporting. This contest represents a shift toward addressing systemic accounting failures to regain public oversight.

The outcome of the election will directly influence how state government accounting is managed and the accuracy of future financial reporting. Voters will decide which candidate is better equipped to prevent future discrepancies that could affect state funds.

The takeaway

Transparency in state accounting is critical for maintaining public trust and efficient government operations. Residents should review the financial modernization proposals of each candidate to understand how the office's future reporting will be secured.