The Land Commissioner runs the Veterans Land Board, which helps Texas veterans buy homes and land. The office also manages the state land whose revenue helps pay for public schools.
The Democratic candidate
Benjamin Flores
DemocratAbout Benjamin
Flores came from Mexico City in 1996 and washed cars, fried chicken at KFC and fixed hotel computers until the computers turned into a 30-year career protecting banks and county governments from fraud. In June, mid-campaign, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Two weeks later he was in remission. He's still running.
He and his wife An and daughter Nadia moved to Bay City in 2016 and started a ten-acre heritage-breed pig farm; the red tape he hit as a small farmer is what pushed him into politics. He's on the Bay City council. The Land Office he wants to run controls the state's disaster money, the land that funds public schools, and the Veterans Land Board — and his priorities are a veterans' hospital for the Rio Grande Valley, disaster dollars people can actually track, and solar and wind on state land.
Also on the ballot
Every candidate who filed for this office appears here. Tap a name to read more.
Dawn BuckinghamAbout Dawn
She worked two jobs to put herself through college, became an eye surgeon, and made history as the first woman ever to run Texas's oldest state agency.
A seventh-generation Texan, Buckingham graduated magna cum laude from UT and earned her MD debt-free. She practiced as an oculoplastic surgeon alongside her physician husband before turning to politics. Sworn in January 2023, she is the first woman in Texas history to serve as Land Commissioner.
Neill SniderAbout Neill
A mechanical contractor who previously ran for the Texas House in 2006 and 2012, now the Libertarian nominee for land commissioner.
Snider works as a mechanical contractor and serves as treasurer of the Libertarian Party of McLennan County. He was the Libertarian nominee for Texas House of Representatives in 2006 and 2012. He's now running for Texas Land Commissioner against Republican Dawn Buckingham and Democrat Benjamin Flores.
Where to vote
Hays County uses vote centers — any registered Hays County voter can vote at any open location in the county. Locations and hours by city: