His father, Robert W. Peterson, was his predecessor as State Auditor; he served from 1973 to 1996.
Bob Peterson is a graduate of Williston High School.
He served as the accounting and budget specialist for the North Dakota State Land Department from 1978 to 1996 when he was elected as North Dakota State Auditor.
He lives in Bismarck and is married to Kathleen and has one daughter, Brynn.
[1] In 2015, Peterson announced that he would not seek a sixth term in the 2016 election.