(originally published by the Southern Illinoisan)

As this gubernatorial election promises to be the most expensive governor’s contest in U.S. history. While this will occupy most of the media and advertisement coverage, there is another important race that we can’t forget about.

The Office of the Comptroller is an important check and balance to the treasury and the legislature that seeks to write checks in its name. Replacing in 1970 what was originally called the Auditor of Public Accounts, there are calls from both sides of the aisle to potentially do away with the position all together.

Claire Ball has a Master’s Degree in Accounting and Finance and is a CPA.

In the tragically mismanaged and abused financial situation our state finds itself in, doing away with one of the few audit tools against the legislature and treasury would be a mistake.

Currently, there is but one candidate that will be on the ballot in November that is actually qualified for the office. Libertarian candidate, Claire Ball, is the only contender who would be truly independent of party bias in a position that desperately needs it. She also holds a qualification that no other candidate has ever had; she is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

The position of State Comptroller essentially embodies being the state’s CPA. Wouldn’t it make sense to vote for and hire the only CPA running? What makes sense and what has been done are two different things when it comes to Illinois politics. Come this November though, you have an opportunity to change that. Vote for the qualified and not the connected. Vote Claire Ball.

For more information, see the official Claire Ball, Libertarian CPA for Illinois Comptroller website.