{"biography":"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\u2011year term on November\u202f3,\u202f2026. The Clerk of Superior Court is an elected official responsible for record\u2011keeping 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].\n\nHaynes has spent more than eight years working within the Watauga County Clerk\u2019s office, first as a deputy clerk and later as an assistant clerk, gaining experience in the day\u2011to\u2011day operations of the court system [11]. In April\u202f2021, 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\u202f1, 2021 by Judge Rebecca Eggers\u2011Gryder, with his wife Caitlin holding the Bible during the ceremony [8][11]. Since his appointment, Haynes has continued to serve the office while preparing for his first election campaign, stating that he is \u201cexcited to run\u201d for the next term [8].\n\nBeyond 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\u201125 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.\n\nHaynes\u2019 office is located in the Watauga County Courthouse, Room\u202f117, with a mailing address of 842 West King Street, Suite\u202f13, Boone, NC\u202f28607, and can be reached by phone at (828)\u202f268\u20116600 [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\u2011the\u2011job experience, and his participation in statewide clerk leadership, though a formal platform has not been published in the available sources.\n\nThe upcoming 2026 election will be Haynes\u2019 first contested race for the Clerk of Superior Court, transitioning from his appointed term to an elected four\u2011year term that will allow him to continue overseeing vital court functions for Watauga County residents.\n\n## Sources\n- [2] [North Carolina Conference of Clerks of Superior Court 2024-2025 Officers Sworn In | North Carolina Judicial Branch](https://www.nccourts.gov/news/tag/press-release/north-carolina-conference-of-clerks-of-superior-court-2024-2025-officers-sworn-in)\n- [3] [Upcoming Election | NCSBE](https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/upcoming-election)\n- [4] [Candidate Lists | NCSBE](https://www.ncsbe.gov/results-data/candidate-lists)\n- [5] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [8] [Haynes sworn in as new Clerk of Court, plans to run for election | Watauga | wataugademocrat.com](https://www.wataugademocrat.com/watauga/haynes-sworn-in-as-new-clerk-of-court-plans-to-run-for-election/article_a807eacf-26e4-5bbf-8bdd-b34e879003ae.html)\n- [9] [Watauga County \u2013 North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds](https://www.ncard.us/find-your-register-of-deeds/watauga-county/)\n- [10] [Watauga County Clerk of Superior Court](https://www.wataugacounty.org/App_Pages/Dept/ClerkofCourt/home.aspx)\n- [11] [Charles Haynes appointed to fill Clerk of Court position beginning June 1 - WataugaOnline.com](https://wataugaonline.com/charles-haynes-appointed-to-fill-clerk-of-court-position-beginning-june-1/)\n- [12] [Watauga County Clerk Of Court Records](https://watauga-county-clerk-of-court-records.govbackgroundchecks.com/index.php)","campaigns":[{"contest":"clerk_of_superior_court","county":"watauga","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Watauga County Clerk Of Superior Court"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Charles","fullname":"Charles Milton Haynes","lastname":"Haynes","middlename":"Milton","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"clerk_of_superior_court","contest_title":"Watauga County Clerk Of Superior Court","county":"watauga","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"watauga","office_key":"clerk_of_superior_court","office_title":"Clerk of Superior Court","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"watauga","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"clerk_of_superior_court","contest_title":"Watauga County Clerk Of Superior Court","county":"watauga","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"watauga","office_key":"clerk_of_superior_court","office_title":"Clerk of Superior Court","party":"REP","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"REP","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"clerk_of_superior_court","office_title":"Clerk of Superior Court","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"summary":"Charles Milton Haynes, appointed Watauga County Clerk of Superior Court in 2021, is the Republican candidate for the 2026 election.","terms":[],"token":"541b9f2885369fee"}