Burke elections bring new and returning faces to courtrooms

With the March primary elections concluded, Burke County set itself on course for a new district attorney, a returning district court judge, and the official beginning of an elected term for a superior court judge.

Because no Democratic candidates filed for those races, Tuesday’s winners, running unopposed, are each preparing for their Jan. 1, 2027, swearing in.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR BURKE AND CALDWELL

A familiar face in the courtroom, Chief Assistant District Attorney Mitch Walker took home the district attorney win on Tuesday night.

Walker will succeed Scott Reilly, who previously served Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties.

A 2018 law realigned prosecutorial districts to accommodate the growing caseload in Catawba, meaning District 36, which once encompassed all three counties, now includes Burke and Caldwell only. Catawba stands on its own as District 44, and Scott Reilly won re-election.

Although the redistricting technically went into place at the beginning of 2023, the law allowed newly elected politicians in 2022 to serve their full term before being removed from office or splitting their district.

Walker said that after learning of his win, he celebrated with friends and family.

“There were some high fives,” he said, chuckling. Due to the district split, Walker’s task now will be to build a team for when he’s sworn in.

“We have eight, nine months to prepare for that transition,” he said. “We’ll start that immediately.”

DISTRICT COURT JUDGE SEAT 1

Gregory Hayes, who retired from a superior court judge role about a year ago, said he “really missed serving as a judge” and decided to jump back into the action for this election.

“I could tell I had a razor’s edge lead,” he said, reflecting on watching all three counties — Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba — through the night.

District judges and district attorneys are assigned by two different district maps, which will keep judges over the same three counties, despite the prosecution being split.

After winning by 641 votes, Hayes said he looks forward to reprising a role in the judgeship. One thing he missed about the job was getting to serve the people, even when sentencing them.

“I try to do it with compassion,” Hayes said. “I try to make sure the victim’s heard. … Sometimes that’s more important than winning or losing.”

SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE SEAT 1

Residing Superior Court Judge Tim Rooks finished with a 12.46-percentage-point lead over his opponent.

Rooks, appointed on Halloween last year following Judge Bob Ervin’s retirement, will have his name on the November ballot, but will likely take the seat uncontested on Jan. 1.

That didn’t stop him and his family from manning the voting stations.

“My wife and I worked the polls until 7:30 in Caldwell County,” he said. After leaving the polls, they picked up his sons and went home to spend time with his mother, who had helped as well.

Because he was working the polls, he didn’t watch the numbers through the night and only celebrated briefly with his family before heading to bed.

His 8-year term starts at the beginning of next year, and Recovery Court is top of his to-do list.

“It’s all about connecting resources for substance-addicted people in the system,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to working in that. … I’m most excited to focus on being a good judge.”