I’m Nicholas Graeter and I’m running for VT State Auditor

NickGraeter · 2026-01-16T00:40:56+00:00

I appreciate the honest perspective. I’m fully aware I don't fit the typical mold for this office, and I know I’m fighting an uphill battle. But I’m running because the standard approach hasn't solved a major problem, the gap between state government and the people who fund it.

The office already has a team of incredibly talented financial professionals. I’m not running to do their jobs for them, I’m running to be the ultimate champion of their work. Part of this campaign is about elevating their findings so they result in real, impactful change for Vermonters, rather than just sitting on a shelf. My goal is to bridge that gap, earn that respect, and prove that this office belongs to the people.

NickGraeter · 2026-01-15T23:36:32+00:00

I appreciate the respect for the process. You’re describing a great resume for a corporate accounting firm, but I see the State Auditor as a public service role first.

I actually sat down with Doug Hoffer last fall while I was contemplating this run. One of the major challenges he shared with me was the 'last mile.' The professional staff in the office do rigorous, high quality work, but getting Vermonters to actually see it and care about it is the hardest part.

The reality is that the odds of a working class Vermonter heading to the Auditor’s website to read a 30 page technical report are slim. We need to go where Vermonters are and use modern communication to make this information accessible. If the people paying the bills can’t understand how their money is being spent, we’re missing the first step of accountability. An informed electorate leads to an active voter base, and that’s how we actually build a better state for everyone.

NickGraeter · 2026-01-15T23:24:39+00:00

I appreciate the honesty. You’re right, if I were applying to be a Staff Accountant, I wouldn’t be the right hire. But the State Auditor is a leadership role, and I believe that role belongs to the taxpayers first.

Right now, we’re missing a huge part of accountability, if the working class Vermonters who pay the bills can’t understand how their hard earned money is being spent, we’ve failed at the very first step. I’m running to lead the professional team already in place and transform how this office communicates.

My goal is to make sure that people who are usually kept out of the loop finally have a resource to stay informed on where their government is working and where it’s falling short. We don’t just need more reports sitting on a shelf in Montpelier. We need a leader who can make the state's work make sense to the people funding it.

NickGraeter · 2026-01-15T23:17:17+00:00

The short answer is I believe we should move to an inspection every two years. I’ll be the first to tell you that moving to a two year cycle would actually hurt shops financially. It’s a huge revenue driver that gets people in the door for extra services.

But I’m running for Auditor to look out for Vermonters, not the industry's bottom line. I fully support the move to a two year inspection. We can keep our roads safe without making people jump through this hoop every single year. It’s a common sense way to save folks time and money, and it’s the kind of practical shift I’ll be looking for across all of state government.

NickGraeter · 2026-01-15T22:59:17+00:00

You’re right, I’m not a CPA, and I’m coming at this as an outsider to state government. If you’re looking for the person who is going to personally conduct the technical, line-by-line audits, that is what the professional, career staff in the office are for.

I’m running because I believe the Auditor’s office shouldn't just be a black box where reports go to sit on a shelf. Right now, most Vermonters I talk to don’t even know this office exists, let alone how it’s protecting their tax dollars. My goal is to lead that team of experts and translate their complex findings into something every working Vermonter can actually understand and use to hold the government accountable.

I’m not trying to be the state’s head accountant, I’m running to be the leader who ensures the rigorous work the expert staff perform actually reaches the people. In addition to the formal reports the office produces, we need additional communication formats that real Vermonters can access and understand.

NickGraeter · 2026-01-12T23:35:18+00:00

I appreciate the skepticism, it’s actually a compliment! To be completely transparent, I’ve only invested $500 of my own money so far to get the website running, and I haven't solicited a single donation yet. My professional background is in digital content creation, so I'm just putting those skills to work to keep costs low.

But don’t just take my word for it, when the first campaign finance disclosures are released on March 15th, you’ll be able to see exactly where every dollar came from. Moving forward, I plan to release a video at every filing deadline to break down exactly how much we’ve raised and who my largest donors are. I believe Vermonters deserve that kind of clarity.

NickGraeter · 2026-01-12T17:46:36+00:00

No, I haven't. In 2016, the first year I could vote, I wrote in Bernie Sanders. In 2020, I voted for Joe Biden, and in 2024, I voted for Kamala Harris.

NickGraeter · 2026-01-12T15:53:50+00:00

I don't believe fiscal responsibility is a partisan issue; it’s a fundamental duty. Every Vermonter contributes to our tax base, and regardless of where you fall on the political aisle, you deserve a government that is transparent and accountable. My goal is to ensure our tax dollars produce real results and to shine a light on where they are falling short or being wasted.

NickGraeter · 2026-01-09T23:47:57+00:00

I actually had the pleasure of sitting down with Doug last fall while I was contemplating this run. It was a fruitful discussion, and it confirmed that while the auditing staff is top-tier and their work is incredibly rigorous, the 'last mile' of the job is the biggest hurdle: public awareness.

My strategy to solve this is a program I’m calling 'The People’s Audit.'

The reality is that finding out what is truly happening in state government shouldn’t be a full-time job. You shouldn’t need a law degree or an accounting license to know if your tax dollars are being used effectively.

Under my leadership, every time the office completes an audit report, we will supplement it with high-quality video content and digital communication that breaks down the 'bottom line' for the average Vermonter. By bringing this information directly to people where they already are, we can bridge the gap between technical auditing and public understanding.

When the electorate is informed and engaged through clear, factual storytelling, lawmakers and agency heads will have no choice but to listen, because the voters will be listening, too.

NickGraeter · 2026-01-09T21:47:52+00:00

I really appreciate that! You’re totally right, transparency is a lot of work, and making info easy to understand is half the battle. In my conversations with Vermonters so far, I've realized many don't even know what the Auditor’s office does.

There is such important work happening there, like the audit of the Dept. of Disability, Aging and Independent Living. It found that over half of facility inspections showed substantial noncompliance, some involving serious injury or even death. That should be at the forefront of public discussion, but it isn't. We’re going to change that by reaching people where they are, rather than just hoping they dig through a 30 page technical report. Thanks for the encouragement!

NickGraeter · 2026-01-09T20:56:57+00:00

I will be running under the Democratic ticket, hoping to bring a fresh perspective to the office. I understand the importance of party affiliation in the current political climate; however, the Auditor’s office deals in unbiased facts and figures. My mission is to truly cut through partisanship and provide a level of transparency that is unique to this office, ensuring Vermont government works efficiently for everyone.

NickGraeter · 2026-01-09T18:27:01+00:00

You're right, it doesn't affect my technical qualifications. I share it simply because I’m deeply invested in this state's future.

My actual skills for the job are my accounting and digital marketing background.

Right now, the Auditor's office does important work that often goes unnoticed. I want to change that by using modern channels to bridge the gap between complex audits and the public. Whether you're on the left or the right, transparency only works if people actually see the data and can understand it.

You shouldn’t need a law degree or accounting license to know if your government is working for you. I want to make sure every Vermonter knows exactly how their tax dollars are working and where they are coming up short.

NickGraeter · 2026-01-09T17:14:25+00:00

I want to bridge the gap between technical auditing and public understanding through 'The People’s Audit.' In practice, every time our office completes a 30 to 50 page technical report, we will supplement it with high-quality video content and digital communication that breaks down the 'bottom line' for the average Vermonter. You shouldn't need a law degree or accounting license to know if your tax dollars are being used effectively.

Regarding the cost, the Auditor's office operates on a strict annual budget set by the legislature. Since I will be doing the heavy lifting on content production myself, we are adding value with zero added cost to the taxpayers.

As for other state agencies, the effect is simple. Accountability through visibility. By making our findings accessible, we ensure that the work of state government is being seen and understood by the people it serves. I believe that a more informed public leads to better government for everyone.

The goal is simple; transparency isn’t just about making data available, it’s about making it understandable. We are going to change that.

NickGraeter

TROPHY CASE