Les Merritt

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Leslie ("Les") Merritt is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of North Carolina and the current North Carolina State Auditor, elected in the 2004 statewide elections.

Merritt, a native of Zebulon, North Carolina, earned degrees in economics and accounting from North Carolina State University. A Certified Public Accountant, Merritt served as the president of the Zebulon Lions and Rotary clubs, and of the Zebulon Elementary School PTA. Merritt was elected to the Wake County Board of Commissioners in 1994, a post he held until 1998. Professionally, he is president of a Raleigh accounting firm. In 2000, he challenged incumbent Democratic State Auditor Ralph Campbell, and was narrowly defeated. In a 2004 rematch against Campbell, Merritt narrowly defeated the three-term incumbent, campaigning on a platform of fiscal conservatism and aggressive action against "wasteful spending." During his successful campaign, Merritt touted his record on the Wake County Board of Commissioners, where he supported a reduction in property taxes during a period of growth. He sits as one of only three Republicans on the majority-Democratic North Carolina Council of State.