Section 3255 - Independent audit(a) Every two (2) years, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall contract for the services of a certified public accountant or certified public accounting firm. Such contract shall be awarded on a bid basis and no certified public accountant or certified public accounting firm shall be eligible to obtain such a contract for two (2) successive contract periods.(b) The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall select by lottery, at a public drawing, forty (40) days after each primary, general and municipal election three (3) per cent of all public offices for which candidates must file nominating petitions or papers with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. For the purpose of this subsection, a legislative or senatorial district shall be considered a public office. Any public office filled at a special election occurring other than at a primary, general or municipal election shall be placed in the lottery of public offices for audit at the next succeeding primary, general or municipal election whichever occurs first. Any public office filled at a special election held at the same time as any other election shall be included in the lottery for that election.(c) The certified public accountant shall audit the reports of all candidates for each public office selected in accordance with subsection (b) and those committees, authorized and created solely for the purposes of influencing an election on behalf of those candidates.(d) The accountants shall conduct their audit in accord with sound accounting principles and shall make findings of any possible violations of this act with respect to campaign contributions or expenses. All audited candidates and their committees shall furnish any records to the accountants which the accountants deem necessary for the completion of their work.(e) The accountant shall report his or her findings to the Secretary of the Commonwealth who shall make public the report of the accountants. The results of the primary election audit shall not be released to the public until after the general or municipal election. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the initiation of prosecution for criminal violations by the appropriate agencies.(f) The accountants shall also furnish a report of their findings to the Attorney General for the institution of such criminal proceedings as he or she shall deem necessary.1937, June 3, P.L. 1333, § 1635, added 1978, Oct. 4, P.L. 893, No. 171, § 2, effective 1/1/1979. Amended 1980, July 11, P.L. 591, No. 127, § 11, imd. effective.