16 Pa.C.S. Ch. 127

in effect

16 Pa.C.S. § 12701 Election, term and seal.

(a) Election of controller.--At the municipal election immediately preceding the expiration of the term of the controller in office on January 1, 1956, and every four years thereafter, the qualified electors of each county of the third, fourth and fifth class and every other county in which the office of controller has been or may be established, including counties in which the office was established by general law or otherwise when the counties were in a higher classification, shall elect one resident of the county to serve as controller for the term of four years beginning the first Monday of January after the controller's election or until a successor is qualified to serve in office. (b) Counties of second class A.--In counties of the second class A, a controller shall be elected at the municipal election immediately preceding the expiration of the term of the controller in office on December 24, 2018, and every four years thereafter. (c) Seals.--A county controller shall be provided with an official seal of the office by the county commissioners. The seal shall be used for the attestation of all official papers.

16 Pa.C.S. § 12702 Eligibility.

(a) Office holders.--An individual holding office under the United States shall not be eligible to the office of county controller while in office and for one year after leaving office. (b) Local office holders.--The county commissioners, county treasurer, prothonotary, register of wills, clerk of the courts, recorder of deeds, sheriff and district attorney, and their chief clerks or deputies, shall be ineligible, during their continuance in such office and for two years thereafter, to the office of county controller.

16 Pa.C.S. § 12703 Deputy controller and clerks.

(a) Appointments.-- (1) In counties of the second class A, third, fourth and fifth classes, the controller shall appoint a deputy controller and clerks. (2) In counties of the sixth, seventh and eighth classes, the controller may appoint a deputy controller and clerks. (3) A controller may authorize one or more of the clerks employed in the controller's office to administer to all oaths and affirmations pertaining to the business of the office with the same force and effect as if administered by the controller or deputy controller. (b) Second deputy controller.--A controller may appoint a second deputy controller who shall possess and discharge all the rights, powers and duties of the principal deputy controller during the principal deputy controller's and the controller's temporary absence.

16 Pa.C.S. § 12705 Establishment of office of controller in counties of sixth, seventh and eighth classes.

(a) Authorization.--The office of controller may be established in a county of the sixth, seventh and eighth class by the affirmative vote of a majority of the electors of the county voting on the question submitted, in accordance with this section, at the general election when the auditor of the county is in the third year of the auditor's term. (b) Petition.--The question shall be submitted to the electors of the county when county electors file a petition containing signatures equal to at least 5% of the highest vote cast for an office in the county at the last preceding general election. The petition shall be filed with the county commissioners no less than 60 days before the day of the general election when the question is to be submitted. If the petition is sufficiently signed under this subsection, the county commissioners shall cause the question to be submitted in the manner provided by the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code. (c) Establishment.--If the majority of electors voting on the question vote in favor of establishing the office of county controller, the office shall be established. At the next municipal election and every four years thereafter, the electors of the county shall choose a resident of the county for the office of controller as a replacement for the county auditors. Cross References. Section 12705 is referred to in section 12706 of this title.

16 Pa.C.S. § 12706 Appointment by Governor, duties of auditors and abolition of office of auditor.

(a) Appointment.--If the office of controller is established in a county under section 12705 (relating to establishment of office of controller in counties of sixth, seventh and eighth classes), or by a change in class of the county not otherwise provided for by law, the Governor shall appoint a suitable individual to act as the controller of the county until a successor in office is duly elected and installed. (b) Duties of auditors.--Upon the appointment of a controller under subsection (a), the county auditors in office at the time of the appointment shall proceed to audit all accounts as required by law and file a report of the audit with the controller no later than three months after the controller assumes office, whereupon, the office of county auditor shall be abolished and cease to exist in the county.

16 Pa.C.S. § 12707 Expenses.

The county controller and the county controller's deputy, clerks and auditors shall be allowed their expenses necessarily incurred and actually paid in the discharge of their official duties or in the performance of any service or duty imposed.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=HTM&ttl=16Fetched: 10/16/2026