Incumbent Nicole Galloway elected state auditor

UPDATE, 12:34 a.m.: Galloway is now the lone Democrat holding statewide office. When asked about carrying the torch for her party, Galloway told ABC 17 News that she remains fair and independent in her job.

“No matter where I traveled and no matter what peoples’ partisan politics happen to be, they told me they want someone who calls the balls and strikes,” she said. “It doesn’t matter who you are, you should be held accountable in public office.”

Watch the full interview ABC 17 News conducted with Galloway post-victory below.

UPDATE, 11:19 p.m.: The Associated Press is calling the state auditor race for incumbent Nicole Galloway.

UPDATE, 11:10 p.m.: Even closer: Galloway at 1,079,994 and McDowell at 974,982 with 92 percent reporting.

UPDATE, 11:05 p.m.: At this point, the race is too close to call. With 86 percent of the precincts reporting, Galloway has 1,003,372 votes and McDowell has 934,719.

UPDATE, 9:12 p.m.: According to a spokesperson, Galloway is upstairs with family and will be making her way down to the ballroom when the race is close to being called. ABC 17 News has requested an interview with her before polls close.

The room has filled up as supporters make their way in.

One supporter who helped with the McCaskill campaign stopped by Galloway’s party to show his support for the Democrats. He said he believes Galloway is an honest, competent, and hard-working auditor.

“I’m a Missourian and I believe in Missouri. I think Missouri needs component, skilled officials in official capacities,” said J. Eddy. “This is a big one. We have a lot of money in our budget that runs through and if there isn’t somebody watchdogging [sic] it, a lot of funny business can go on.”

Many supporters echoed Eddy’s sentiments tonight, and said they believe Galloway is the more qualified candidate. While they admit Galloway is facing a challenge running against a Republican in a historically red state, they think she gets results and will continue to get them.

Many here tonight brought up Saundra McDowell’s reported financial issues. McDowell responds to that here.

One man said it wasn’t easy to go up against the University of Missouri, but Galloway did and got results.

He is referring to her 2017 audit of the University of Missouri System. That audit is reference below in this story.

Representative Kip Kendrick said that even though Galloway is a Democrat, her work and results are nonpartisan.

“She is a good Democrat but she’s also very, very independent,” he said. “She’ll hold your feet to the fire whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, and just been a tremendous force around the state.”

UPDATE: Representatives Kip Kendrick (D) and Martha Stevens (D) will be at the event; Kendrick will be the emcee. He is running unopposed and Stevens is going up against Cathy Richards.

Boone County Clerk candidate Brianna Lennon will also be here at the Tiger Hotel as well.

ORIGINAL STORY: Voters will decide Tuesday whether or not to send Nicole Galloway back to Jefferson City to continue working in her role as state auditor in her first election as a statewide officeholder.

Galloway was appointed by then-Gov. Jay Nixon to the position in 2015 after Auditor Tom Schweich took his own life. She had been serving as the Boone County treasurer, a position to which she also was appointed.

Previously, Galloway was a CPA and is a certified fraud examiner.

“I did this work for years at different levels, auditing Fortune 500 companies, insurance companies [and] reinsurance companies,” she told ABC 17 News last month. “I have the experience this job requires and that’s why I think you see so many results.”

In 2017, Galloway’s completed an audit of the University of Missouri System, which revealed unpublished bonus payments to top executives, including incentive payments, luxury vehicle allowance, and other compensation not included in published salaries.

Less than a week after the audit became public, the system eliminated the program.

Galloway is one of two Democrats holding a statewide office in Missouri and is battling Republican Saundra McDowell. U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill is also facing a tough re-election in a historically red state.

The Associated Press reports that although Galloway has a fundraising edge and McDowell is facing questions about her own personal finances, experts think she may need some top-of–the-ticket help from McCaskill.

Galloway is holding her election night watch party at the Tiger Hotel in Columbia. ABC 17 News sat down with the candidate to talk about the race and her values. You can read that here.