We’re headed for a run-off in the race for Orange County Sheriff between Charles Blackwood and David Caldwell.

All six candidates vying for the position ran as Democrats with no Republican challenger. This means the race will be decided in the second primary to be held on June 24.

Blackwood received the highest total in the May 6 primary with 30.34 percent of the vote; Caldwell received 29.98 percent, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Per state law, a second primary is required if the winner does not receive more than 40 percent of the vote and the second place candidate asks for a run-off in writing.

Caldwell has confirmed that he will.

“I think with all of the candidates, you wouldn’t be in it if you didn’t want to win it. That’s the attitude I’ll take to the end,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell retired from the Sheriff’s Office after 22 years to become a community organizer for the Rogers Road neighborhood.

Blackwood is a 32-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office who served as Major of Operations until his retirement in 2012.

“Like I said, the goal, of course, was to win with the realistic goal in mind of finishing in the top two so that we could move forward, and I planned for that,” Blackwood said.

Larry Faucette, Keith Webster, Andy Cagle and Buddy Parker also sought the position, which has been held for more than three decades by Lindy Pendergrass.

Faucette came in third place with 25.9 percent of the vote.

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