Connecticut State Comptroller Explained

Post:State Comptroller
Insignia:Connecticut State Comptroller Seal.png
Insigniacaption:Seal of the State Comptroller
Incumbent:Sean Scanlon
Incumbentsince:January 4, 2023
Formation:1786
First:James Wadsworth
Website:osc.ct.gov

The state comptroller is the chief fiscal guardian of the State of Connecticut. The duties and responsibilities of the state comptroller include, among other things, overseeing state accounting, preparing state financial reports, paying and administering benefits to state employees, settling demands against the state that do not first have to be approved or adjusted by the General Assembly, administering miscellaneous appropriations for employee taxes, insurance, and health services, and administering grants to police, firefighters, and municipalities.[1]

Comptrollers in Connecticut are elected to a term of four years, their election taking place in the same cycle as gubernatorial elections.

The current state comptroller is Sean Scanlon, a Democrat who has served since January 4, 2023.

List of comptrollers

ImageNameTownPolitical PartyTerm of Office
James WadsworthDurhamIndependent1786–1788
Oliver WolcottLitchfield1788–1790
Ralph PomeroyCoventry1790–1791
Andrew KingsburyHartford1791–1793
John PorterLebanon1793–1806
Elisha ColtHartford1806–1819
James ThomasHartford1819–1830
Elisha PhelpsSimsbury1830–1834
Roger HuntingtonNorwich1834–1835
Gideon WellesHartfordDemocratic1835–1836
William FieldPomfret1836–1838
Henry KilbournHartford1838–1842
Gideon WellesHartfordDemocratic1842–1844
Abijah CarringtonNew Haven1844–1846
Mason ClevelandHampton1846–1847
Abijah CatlinHarwinton1847–1850
Rufus G. PinneyStaffordDemocratic1850–1854
John DunhamNorwichWhig1854–1855
Alexander MerrellNew LondonAmerican1855–1856
Edward PrentisNew LondonAmerican1856–1857
Joseph G. LambNorwichAmerican, Republican1857–1858
William H. BuellClintonRepublican1858–1861
Leman W. CutlerWatertownRepublican1861–1866
Robbins BattellNorfolkUnion1866–1867
Jesse OlneyStratfordDemocratic1867–1869
James W. ManningPutnamRepublican1869–1870
Seth S. LoganWashingtonDemocratic1870–1871
James W. ManningPutnamRepublican1871–1873
Alfred R. GoodrichVernonDemocratic1873–1877
Charles C. HubbardMiddletownDemocratic1877–1879
Chauncey HowardCoventryRepublican1879–1881
Wheelock BatchellerWinstedRepublican1881–1883
Frank D. SloatNew HavenRepublican1883–1885
Luzerne I. MunsonWaterburyRepublican1885–1887
Thomas ClarkNorth StoningtonRepublican1887–1889
John B. WrightClintonRepublican1889–1891
Nicholas StaubNew MilfordDemocratic1891–1895
Benjamin P. MeadNew CanaanRepublican1895–1899
Thompson S. GrantEnfieldRepublican1899–1901
Abiram ChamberlainMeridenRepublican1901–1903
William E. SeeleyBridgeportRepublican1903–1905
Asahel W. MitchellWoodburyRepublican1905–1907
Thomas D. BradstreetThomastonRepublican1907–1913
Daniel P. DunnWindhamDemocratic1913–1915
Morris C. WebsterTorringtonRepublican1915–1921
Harvey P. BissellRidgefieldRepublican1921–1923
Frederick M. SalmonWestportRepublican1923–1933
Anson F. KeelerNorwalkRepublican1933–1935
Charles C. SwartzNorwalkDemocratic1935–1939
Fred R. ZellerStoningtonRepublican1939–1941
John M. DoweKillinglyDemocratic1941–1943
Fred R. ZellerStoningtonRepublican1943–1945
John M. Dowe1KillinglyDemocratic1945–1946
Raymond S. ThatcherEast HamptonDemocratic1946–1947
Fred R. ZellerStoningtonRepublican1947–1949
Raymond S. ThatcherEast HamptonDemocratic1949–1951
Fred R. ZellerStoningtonRepublican1951–1959
Raymond S. Thatcher2East HamptonDemocratic1959–1966
James J. Casey3WinchesterDemocratic1966–1967
Louis I. GladstoneBridgeportDemocratic1967–1971
Nathan G. AgostinelliManchesterRepublican1971–1975
J. Edward CaldwellBridgeportDemocratic1975–1991
William E. Curry, Jr.FarmingtonDemocratic1991–1995
Nancy S. WymanTollandDemocratic1995–2011
Kevin P. Lembo4GuilfordDemocratic2011–2021
Natalie Braswell5BloomfieldDemocratic2021–2023
Sean ScanlonGuilfordDemocratic2023–present
Town listed is town of residence at time of election.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: State of Connecticut – Overview of the Office of the State Comptroller. May 26, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100701184820/http://www.osc.state.ct.us/overview.htm. July 1, 2010. dead.