Caddo clerk of court speaks on expected recount in sheriff’s race

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - On Saturday, Nov. 20, Henry Whitehorn defeated John Nickelson in the race for Caddo sheriff by just one vote.

[RELATED: RECOUNT SET: By 1 vote, Whitehorn appears to be Caddo’s new sheriff]

Nickelson is expected to file for a recount this week. The deadline to file the written request is 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21.

“I have a responsibility to the tens of thousands of voters that support me. I have a responsibility to the parish because of how critical this election is to the future of our community and to the more than 600 deputies that serve the sheriff’s office to make sure that we get this right. And for that reason, we will request a recount and we’ll see what the result is once that process is concluded,” Nickelson said Saturday evening.

Caddo Clerk of Court Mike Spence said he never has seen a big race this close in his 40-year experience. He said once the secretary of state processes the request, optical scanner machines will arrive and the recount will take place Monday, Nov. 27.

Spence said the recount process doesn’t encompass the more than 43,000 votes cast Saturday. Only the mail-in votes will be recounted and checked for errors.

He said he expects they will begin that work Monday morning and be done by noon.

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