(a) The Department of Audits and Accounts is created and established. The head of the department shall be an experienced auditor and accountant with not less than five years' experience as an accountant in the Department of Audits and Accounts or in a governmental agency of a similar nature or shall be a duly certified public accountant with at least five years' practical experience in the duties for which he is certified and who, when named or elected as prescribed in subsection (b) of this Code section and when qualified, shall be known and designated as state auditor.

(b) The state auditor shall be elected by the General Assembly in the following manner: A joint resolution which shall fix a definite time for the nomination and election of the state auditor may be introduced in either branch of the General Assembly. Upon passage of the resolution by a majority vote of the membership of the Senate and House of Representatives it shall be the duty of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to call for the nomination and election of the state auditor at the time specified in the resolution, at which time the name of the qualified person receiving a majority vote of the membership of the House of Representatives shall be transmitted to the Senate for confirmation. Upon the qualified person's receiving a majority vote of the membership of the Senate, he shall be declared the duly elected state auditor; and the Governor shall be notified of his election by the Secretary of the Senate. The Governor is directed to administer the oath of office to the state auditor and to furnish the state auditor with a properly executed commission of office certifying his election.

(c) The term of office of the state auditor shall continue until a successor is elected as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section. In the event of a vacancy in the position of state auditor at a time when the General Assembly is not in session it shall be the duty of the Governor and he is empowered and directed to appoint a state auditor possessing the qualifications as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section who shall serve as state auditor until the next regular session of the General Assembly, at which time the nomination and election of a state auditor shall be held by the General Assembly as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section.