Cindy Byrd, Oklahoma's state auditor and inspector, is running as a Republican for Oklahoma treasurer in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Byrd is a certified public accountant with more than 25 years of government auditing experience. She has held statewide office since 2019.

On her campaign website, Byrd said she wants to use the treasurer's office to reduce waste, enforce financial accountability and prepare state agencies for the loss of temporary federal funding.

Candidate information

  • Office sought: Oklahoma treasurer
  • Party: Republican
  • Hometown: Coalgate, Oklahoma
  • Education: Coalgate High School, 1991; bachelor's degree in accounting, East Central University, 1996
  • Family: Married to Steve Byrd; fourth-generation rural Oklahoman

Experience and public service

Byrd worked as a factory employee at Wrangler Jeans before entering government work, according to BallotReady profile data. She served as county audit division director at the Oklahoma State Auditor's Office from 2011 to 2013 and as deputy state auditor from 2011 to 2018, according to her state office biography and BallotReady.

In 2018, Byrd became the first woman elected state auditor and inspector of Oklahoma. She is serving in that role and is Oklahoma's 13th state auditor and inspector.

In 2023, Byrd received the Dr. Tom Coburn Transparency in Government Award from the State Financial Officers Foundation, according to her state office biography. She has also received the National Excellence in Auditing Award from the National Association of State Auditors. She is a Club for Growth Fellow.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Byrd's responses on her campaign platform.

Taxes and budget: Byrd said she supports identifying state programs that rely heavily on temporary federal funding and requiring agencies to plan ahead before those dollars disappear. She said she wants to use modern tools, including artificial intelligence, to find and cut patterns of waste. She said she supports protecting local control while enforcing financial accountability.

Economy: Byrd said she wants to remove unnecessary state-level barriers to doing business, align workforce development with the needs of Oklahoma employers and build on Oklahoma's existing tourism efforts and partnerships.

Education: Byrd said she supports separating classroom spending from administrative costs, requiring transparent public reporting of how education dollars are used and evaluating programs based on measurable results.

Healthcare: Byrd said she wants top-to-bottom reviews of state healthcare agencies, better coordination across healthcare programs and a shift toward early intervention rather than crisis-level care as the default.

Arts and culture: Byrd said she supports showcasing Oklahoma's music, culture and creative industries.