Charles Milton Haynes

Charles Milton Haynes is the incumbent Clerk of Superior Court for Watauga County, North Carolina, and is the Republican candidate seeking election to a full four‑year term on November 3, 2026. The Clerk of Superior Court is an elected official responsible for record‑keeping and clerical functions of the superior and district courts, probate of wills, estate administration, and special proceedings such as foreclosures, adoptions, and land condemnations; the office also appoints guardians, schedules Small Claims Court, issues subpoenas and warrants, and collects fines and court costs ¹⁰.

Haynes has spent more than eight years working within the Watauga County Clerk’s office, first as a deputy clerk and later as an assistant clerk, gaining experience in the day‑to‑day operations of the court system ¹¹. In April 2021, Honorable Gary M. Gavenus appointed him to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of longtime Clerk Diane Cornett Deal, and he was sworn in on June 1, 2021 by Judge Rebecca Eggers‑Gryder, with his wife Caitlin holding the Bible during the ceremony ⁸¹¹. Since his appointment, Haynes has continued to serve the office while preparing for his first election campaign, stating that he is “excited to run” for the next term ⁸.

Beyond his county duties, Haynes was selected as the Watauga County representative on the executive committee of the North Carolina Conference of Clerks of Superior Court for the 2024‑25 term, a body that meets monthly to discuss court administration, legislative issues, and collaborative initiatives among clerks statewide ². This role underscores his involvement in broader judicial administration and policy discussions across North Carolina.

Haynes’ office is located in the Watauga County Courthouse, Room 117, with a mailing address of 842 West King Street, Suite 13, Boone, NC 28607, and can be reached by phone at (828) 268‑6600 ¹⁰. No public email address has been listed in the sources consulted. As a candidate, Haynes is expected to emphasize continuity of service, his extensive on‑the‑job experience, and his participation in statewide clerk leadership, though a formal platform has not been published in the available sources.

The upcoming 2026 election will be Haynes’ first contested race for the Clerk of Superior Court, transitioning from his appointed term to an elected four‑year term that will allow him to continue overseeing vital court functions for Watauga County residents.

Sources