Iowa official register

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IOWA OFFICIAL REGISTER 

 

erations of state government.  Results are reported in the State’s Comprehensive Annual Financial 

Report and in reports of recommendations to individual departments.  A single audit report is also 

issued to cover all federal funds expended by the state and report on compliance with federal 

requirements governing those expenditures. 

School districts, cities, counties, community colleges, public hospitals, and other local govern-

ments may request an audit of their activities by the Auditor.  When audits of local governments 

are performed by CPA firms, those audit reports must be filed with the Auditor and are subject to 

review by the Auditor.  Based on the results of reviews performed by the Auditor, reaudits may be 

conducted by the Auditor.  In addition, citizens of local governments may petition for an audit or 

reaudit.  All reports issued by the Auditor or filed with the Auditor are available for public inspec-

tion in the Auditor’s Office and on the Auditor’s Website (www.auditor.iowa.gov/reports/

reports.htm). 

The office is functionally organized into three divisions, with duties and responsibilities as 

follows: 

Administration Division – Provides office accounting, budgeting, payroll, personnel, training, 

and other support functions; maintains effective intergovernmental, legislative, and media com-

munications; and assists with overall administration of the office. 

Financial Audit Division – Performs audits of state agencies and local governments.  It also 

performs report and working paper reviews of CPA audits; performs reaudits, as necessary; and 

provides technical assistance to CPA firms, government officials, and the public. 

Performance Investigation Division – Conducts audits of state agencies and the programs 

they administer to provide an independent assessment of the performance of government organi-

zations, programs, activities, and functions.  It also evaluates whether agencies and programs have 

been properly managed and investigates suspected fraud and misappropriations of government 

funds. 

By virtue of the office, the Auditor is a member of the State Executive Council, the State Ap-

peal Board, the Iowa Telecommunications and Technology Commission, the Vision Iowa Board, 

the Tobacco Settlement Authority, the Honey Creek Premier Destination Park Authority Board, 

and the City and County Finance Committees.  

 

See chapter 4 for information regarding the Office of the Auditor of State. 

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EXECUTIVE BRANCH ELECTED OFFICIALS 

 

SECRETARY OF STATE 

State Capitol, Des Moines 50319; [phone]; 

www.sos.state.ia.us 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MICHAEL A. MAURO  

Secretary of State 

Des Moines (D) 

Term: Expires January 2011. Profession: Elected to first term as Secretary of State in Novem-

ber 2006. Elected Polk County Auditor in November 1996 and reelected in November 2000. 

Served as the Polk County Election Director 1983-1996. Worked at family-owned real estate and 

insurance agency 1975-1983.  High school government teacher 1970-1975.  Education: B.S. in 

Education, Drake University, Des Moines, IA. Memberships and Activities: Chair, State Voter 

Registration Commission. Member of: Iowa Executive Council, National Association of Secretar-

ies of State, for which he has served as co-chair of the Presidential Primaries Committee. In 2003 

he earned the designation of Certified Elections/Registration Administrator (CERA), the highest 

professional achievement in the field of election administration.  Birth and Residence: Born in 

1948 in Des Moines. Resides in Des Moines. Family Members: Wife, Dorothy; three sons and 

four grandchildren. 

 

The Secretary of State is a constitutional officer elected every four years.  Michael A. Mauro is 

the 30th Secretary of State.  Since 1846, when Elisha Cutler, Jr., served as Iowa’s first Secretary 

of State, the office has expanded in scope and assumed significantly greater responsibilities. 

As Secretary of State, Mauro believes in utilizing technology, simplifying services, cutting 

costs, and eliminating the red tape that hampers the delivery of services to Iowans.  He strongly 

believes government should work for its citizens – not against them. 

Since being elected, Secretary Mauro has worked to further strengthen Iowa’s rich history of 

quality elections.  Secretary Mauro worked alongside the Iowa Legislature to allow citizens the 

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IOWA OFFICIAL REGISTER 

 

ability to register to vote on Election Day (same-day registration).  In addition to making voting 

more accessible, Mauro has ensured the highest ethical standards are in place during the voting 

process.  During his first term, Mauro worked tirelessly to establish a uniform voting system for 

all 99 counties.  As a result, legislation was passed to ensure all future elections would have a true 

voter-verified paper trail. 

During the 2008 General Election, the turnout was the highest in state history and the fifth 

highest percentage turnout in the entire nation. Additional reforms allowed for nearly 40 percent 

of those voters to cast an early ballot before Election Day.  Secretary Mauro’s office also took the 

honor of having the top elections website in the country during the 2008 election season accord-

ing to a leading national election research group. 

In addition, Secretary Mauro worked to consolidate city, school, and special elections and es-

tablish vote centers for these types of elections.  With these changes, participation is expected to 

increase in these historically low-turnout elections, and money for significant election costs will 

be saved. 

As a former high school government teacher and coach, Mauro has also shown his commitment 

to Iowa’s youth.  He is dedicated to increasing civic awareness among young people, and often 

visits high schools and civic groups, speaking about the importance of voting, voter education, 

and election reform. 

The Secretary of State’s Office co-sponsored with the Governor’s Office and the Governor’s 

Developmental Disability Council “Capitol Project,” a three-day conference held at the State 

Capitol to provide Iowa high school students with opportunities to experience the workings of 

state government.  The office also co-sponsored with the Governor’s Developmental Disability 

Council “Capitol Youth Day” for middle school through high school students, which promotes 

civic participation and increases the student’s basic understanding of the governing and election 

process.  

The Secretary of State’s Office co-sponsored with the Governor’s Developmental Disability 

Council “Advocating Change Day,” an event that gave individuals with disabilities and their 

families the opportunity to learn how to communicate with their state legislators and state elected 

officials. 

In order to fulfill its statutory responsibilities, the office is divided into four primary divisions, 

all of which are assisted by a centralized customer service area.  The divisions are: Elections and 

Voter Registration, Business Services, Administrative Services, and Communications. 

The Elections and Voter Registration Division encompasses many of the official responsibili-

ties of the Secretary. As Secretary of State, Secretary Mauro is both State Commissioner of Elec-

tions and State Registrar of Voters.  In his role as State Commissioner of Elections, Secretary 

Mauro oversees Iowa’s 99 county auditors in the administration of Iowa’s election laws and pre-

scribes uniform election practices and procedures. Secretary Mauro has taken a role in working 

with the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) and various state officials and or-

ganizations in a concerted effort to improve participation by all Iowans in the electoral process. 

The Business Services Division has become a service and records center for businesses in 

Iowa, the nation, and the world. Among its key responsibilities are the registration and authoriza-

tion of domestic and foreign corporations to transact business in Iowa. Additionally, the office has 

responsibilities relating to several other business entities. Currently, there are over 150,000 active 

profit and nonprofit corporations filed with the Business Services Division. Another key responsi-

bility of the Business Services Division is the processing and administration of Uniform Commer-

cial Code (UCC) filings and searches. The division annually files over 125,000 financing state-

ments, amendments, terminations, and other UCC-related documents. It maintains over 350,000 

active UCC records. Review, filing, and renewal of over 5,000 trademark registrations, and the 

commissioning, education, and oversight of over 55,000 notaries public are also a part of the re-

sponsibility of the Business Services Division. Further, miscellaneous filings handled by the divi-

sion include registration of athlete agents, waste tire haulers, transient merchants, travel agencies 

and agents, credit services organizations, and postsecondary schools. Secretary Mauro is utilizing 

advances in information technology to streamline business access to state government. Online 

access to the office’s corporate and UCC database is available, and additional online filing ad-

vancements are planned for the future. 

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