Haden files for recount in Caldwell County Judge primary election

LPR Staff Report

Caldwell County judge candidate Hoppy Haden confirmed on Monday that he filed for a recount following last Tuesday’s Republican primary election.

Haden secured 1,130 votes, or 49.65 percent, according to unofficial grand totals released early on March 7. Incumbent County Judge Ken Schawe trailed Haden with 847 votes (37.21 percent). Rounding out the race were Johnny Lee Spriggs with 199 votes (8.74 percent) and Deward Cummings with 100 votes.

The recount was initially set for Friday, but could be as early as tomorrow or Thursday depending on scheduling, according to the Caldwell County elections office.

To win the nomination outright, Haden would have needed 1,139 votes.

Haden resigned his post as Pct. 1 Caldwell County Commissioner in November, expressing his intent to run for Schawe’s seat.

The unofficial vote totals released last week do not include absentee ballots that were mailed in. The Democratic absentee ballots will be counted Tuesday and the Republican ones will be counted Thursday, the elections office said.

If Haden does not secure the majority of the votes following the runoff or inclusion of the mail-in ballots, the race will be decided in a runoff on May 22.