About State Auditor Leslie Merritt

State Auditor Leslie W. (Les) Merritt, Jr. is a lifelong resident of North Carolina.  He was raised on a farm in rural Sampson County between Clinton and Magnolia, where his family raised hogs and cows and grew tobacco, soybeans, corn and other produce crops.  Les’ parents instilled in him the values that guide him today:  hard work, the importance of faith and family, the difference between right and wrong, and the importance of spending every penny wisely. 

Les graduated from Union High School in 1970.  He then enrolled at North Carolina State University, where he went on to earn degrees in Economics and Accounting.  He is both a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).

Les and his wife, Cheryl, eventually settled in the town of Zebulon, where Les became a well-known and respected businessman and community leader.  Les served as president of the Zebulon Elementary School PTA, the Zebulon Rotary Club and the Zebulon Lions Club.   He has also served as a director with the Zebulon Chamber of Commerce.  Les and his wife, Cheryl, and their two children are members of Zebulon Baptist Church.

Les Merritt owned and operated a small business for over twenty years.  Prior to being elected State Auditor he served as president of Merritt, Petway, Mills and Hockaday, an accounting and auditing firm with offices in Zebulon and Raleigh.  Les’ experience as a small business owner taught him the importance of conserving and effectively utilizing resources.  He learned the importance of client service, doing things right the first time, planning and budgeting, and treating employees and clients with fairness and honesty.  These experiences and lessons helped prepare Les Merritt for public service.

Les was elected to the Wake County Board of Commissioners in 1994.  During his time as a County Commissioner he developed a reputation as a voice of fiscal responsibility, fighting to set priorities and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of county government.  Under his leadership, Wake County residents received a 17% property tax cut while a record number of new schools were being built.

Les Merritt won a three-way primary to become the Republican nominee for State Auditor in 2000.  In the general election he received 49.5% of the vote despite being outspent three to one by an entrenched incumbent.  Les received 67% of the vote in the 2004 primary to again secure the GOP nomination for State Auditor. 

On November 2, 2004 Les Merritt achieved a historic victory, defeating the incumbent State Auditor.  Les became the first Republican challenger since Reconstruction to defeat an elected Democrat incumbent on North Carolina's Council of State.  Additionally, he is the first Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensed in North Carolina to serve as State Auditor.