New Mexico Public Lands Commissioner election, 2026

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← 2022
New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands
Election details
Filing deadline: Pending
Primary: Pending General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in New Mexico
Ballotpedia analysis
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New Mexico executive elections
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New Mexico is holding an election for commissioner of public lands on November 3, 2026.

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:

• Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
• Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands

Matthew McQueen, Jonas Moya, and Juan Sanchez III are running in the general election for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Matthew McQueen (D)
	Submit photo	Jonas Moya (D)
		Juan Sanchez III (D)

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	There are no incumbents in this race.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Juan Sanchez III

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Juan De Jesus Sanchez III is a 13th generation New Mexican who comes from a ranching family in Valencia and Socorro counties. Juan brings a wealth of conservation, land, water, and resource management experience to this campaign. As a former Natural Resources Specialist and Ranger with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a Technical Assistant for the New Mexico Acequia Commission, and long time Political Director for U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich; Juan strives to bring real world land management experience and handed down generational knowledge to the Land Office. This campaign is built on the principle that our lands in New Mexico are special and deserve to be protected and respected today and for generations to come."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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Outdoor Access and Conservation The same division that oversees Agriculture and Ranching within the State Land Office also plays an important role in expanding access to state trust lands for outdoor recreation, including hiking trails, rock climbing, camping options, and hunting and fishing. Juan’s experience as a Natural Resource Specialist at Cochiti with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with the New Mexico Acequia Commission, and as a passionate advocate for the protection of our outdoor spaces make him uniquely suited to responsibly increase access for New Mexicans to enjoy their state lands and they are conserved for future generations to do the same.

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Agriculture and Ranching The State Land Office manages 9 million acres of surface state trust land that has been leased to New Mexico families and tribal communities since statehood. These agricultural, ranching, and grazing lands and their caretakers face a variety of challenges, including drought, erosion, dwindling return on cattle ranching, and invasive plant species threatening grazing. Juan’s professional background in Water Resources, his family’s ranching roots, and his determination to see our rural communities have what they need to preserve their way of life are the exact experiences needed to ensure rural and tribal communities’ interests are represented at the Land Office.

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Oil and Gas New Mexico has risen to be the 2nd largest oil producing state in the country. This industry is especially important to the State Land Office as royalties from the production of oil and gas fuel New Mexico’s Land Grant Permanent Fund, sending billions of dollars to our public schools and early childhood education system each year. Mineral acres leased to the industry are constitutionally held in trust for the benefit of future generations of New Mexicans. As your Commissioner, Juan will partner with the industry and the communities in which they are active to the best benefit of New Mexicans. The most prosperous industry in our state should be held to the highest standard of responsible operation in order to protect the land.

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

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Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Juan Sanchez III (D)

Outdoor Access and Conservation

The same division that oversees Agriculture and Ranching within the State Land Office also plays an important role in expanding access to state trust lands for outdoor recreation, including hiking trails, rock climbing, camping options, and hunting and fishing. Juan’s experience as a Natural Resource Specialist at Cochiti with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with the New Mexico Acequia Commission, and as a passionate advocate for the protection of our outdoor spaces make him uniquely suited to responsibly increase access for New Mexicans to enjoy their state lands and they are conserved for future generations to do the same.

Agriculture and Ranching The State Land Office manages 9 million acres of surface state trust land that has been leased to New Mexico families and tribal communities since statehood. These agricultural, ranching, and grazing lands and their caretakers face a variety of challenges, including drought, erosion, dwindling return on cattle ranching, and invasive plant species threatening grazing. Juan’s professional background in Water Resources, his family’s ranching roots, and his determination to see our rural communities have what they need to preserve their way of life are the exact experiences needed to ensure rural and tribal communities’ interests are represented at the Land Office.

Oil and Gas

New Mexico has risen to be the 2nd largest oil producing state in the country. This industry is especially important to the State Land Office as royalties from the production of oil and gas fuel New Mexico’s Land Grant Permanent Fund, sending billions of dollars to our public schools and early childhood education system each year. Mineral acres leased to the industry are constitutionally held in trust for the benefit of future generations of New Mexicans. As your Commissioner, Juan will partner with the industry and the communities in which they are active to the best benefit of New Mexicans. The most prosperous industry in our state should be held to the highest standard of responsible operation in order to protect the land.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Juan Sanchez III (D)

Fighting Against Land Sale Off

New Mexico’s 9 million acres of trust lands weren’t targeted in a recent federal attempted Land Sell off, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe from future attacks. If anything, this showed us just how quickly public lands can be in danger. We need leadership that treats our lands not as bargaining chips to be sold, but as a part of our identity, culture, and livelihood to be protected for future generations.

As Land Commissioner, I’ll fight to ensure our lands are managed with long-term benefit in mind. That means keeping access open for New Mexicans. It means listening to communities that rely on these lands. And it means saying, clearly and consistently, that New Mexico’s public lands are not for sale.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Juan Sanchez III (D)

The New Mexico State Land Office has a clear and dedicated mission – to protect and preserve state trust land while generating resources for our state institutions, like our public schools, hospitals, and universities. As your Land Commissioner, I will be first and foremost dedicated to protecting public lands, strengthening economies by continuing to generate resources for communities, and ensuring that land and water remain in the hands of those who steward them responsibly today and will continue to do so for generations to come. In the face of the Trump Administration, we need a Land Commissioner willing to fight the sale of our lands to the highest bidder and keep the best interests of New Mexico communities at the forefront of the Land Office.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Juan Sanchez III (D)

Rudolfo Anaya’s 'Bless Me, Ultima' holds a special place in my heart because it tells a story that feels like it could be my own family’s. Growing up in a small town in New Mexico, I saw myself, my neighbors, and my community reflected in its pages. Anaya captured the voices, landscapes, and struggles of our people in a way that validated experiences I had always felt but rarely saw written down in literature.

At its core, Bless Me, Ultima is about identity, how a young New Mexican boy, navigates family, tradition, faith, and the wider world. That journey resonates with me as a 13th-generation New Mexican. I too grew up at the crossroads of influences the ranching lifestyle of my family, spiritual traditions tied to land and water, and the modern challenges of a state shaped by change. Anaya’s story reminded me what makes our heritage so rich and enduring.

The setting of Bless Me, Ultima is also deeply familiar. The llano, the river, the village life it mirrors the landscapes I grew up in and still fight to protect. The Mora Valley, the Rio Grande, the acequias that thread through our valleys, they are all characters in my own story, just as much as they are in Antonio’s.

Finally, one of the most powerful themes in the book is inheritance, not just of land, but of values and ways of being. Antonio struggles with whether he will follow the vaquero life of his father’s family or the farming traditions of his mother’s. In my own life, I’ve felt the weight of inheritance from the Tomé, Atrisco, and La Joya Land Grants, that I am reminded I'm heir too, but the land no long passes down, and long lost dream of a part of our ranch passing down to me. Though inheritance is not simply just property it’s culture, responsibility, and an obligation to carry forward traditions like ranching, acequia stewardship, and community service.

Bless Me, Ultima is my favorite book because it is ours. It is a New Mexican story written by a New Mexican author.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Juan Sanchez III (D)

U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich

U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez State Senator, Carrie Hamblen State Senator, Angel Charley State Senator, Cindy Nava Las Cruces Mayor Pro Tem, Johana Bencomo Bernalillo County Sheriff, John Allen Bernalillo County Commissioner, Barbara Baca Doña Ana County Commissioner, Christopher Shaljo-Hernandez Grant County Commissioner, Nancy Stevens San Miguel County Commissioner, Max Trujillo Socorro County Commissioner, Craig Secatero Sandoval County Commissioner, Joshua Jones Luna County Commissioner, Rey Trejo Taos County Commissioner, Bob Romero Taos County Commissioner, AnJanette Brush Mountainair Mayor, Peter Nieto Former NM Attorney General, Gary King Former Lt. Governor, Diane Denish

Orgs

Climate Cabinet

You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:

• Jonas Moya
• Matthew McQueen

Voting information

See also: Voting in New Mexico

Ballotpedia will publish the dates and deadlines related to this election as they are made available.

Past elections

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2014.

2022

See also: New Mexico Public Lands Commissioner election, 2022

General election

General election for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands

Incumbent Stephanie Garcia Richard defeated Jefferson Byrd and Larry E. Marker in the general election for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stephanie Garcia Richard (D)	54.7	379,621
		Jefferson Byrd (R)	44.8	310,853
	Submit photo	Larry E. Marker (Independent) (Write-in)	0.6	3,950

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 694,424
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands

Incumbent Stephanie Garcia Richard advanced from the Democratic primary for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stephanie Garcia Richard	100.0	116,641

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 116,641
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands

Jefferson Byrd advanced from the Republican primary for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jefferson Byrd	100.0	92,318

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 92,318
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Aubrey Dunn (R)

2018

See also: New Mexico Public Lands Commissioner election, 2018

General election

General election for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands

Stephanie Garcia Richard defeated Patrick H. Lyons and Michael Lucero in the general election for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stephanie Garcia Richard (D)	51.1	352,335
		Patrick H. Lyons (R)	43.1	297,379
		Michael Lucero (L)	5.8	39,791

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 689,505
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands

Stephanie Garcia Richard defeated Garrett VeneKlasen and George Munoz in the Democratic primary for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Stephanie Garcia Richard	39.5	65,601
	Submit photo	Garrett VeneKlasen	37.2	61,783
		George Munoz	23.3	38,770

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 166,154
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands

Patrick H. Lyons advanced from the Republican primary for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Patrick H. Lyons	100.0	67,527

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 67,527
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Libertarian primary election

Libertarian primary for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands

Michael Lucero advanced from the Libertarian primary for New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Lucero	100.0	608

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 608
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2014

See also: New Mexico down ballot state executive elections, 2014

New Mexico Land Commissioner, 2014
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Aubrey Dunn	50.1%	250,185
	Democratic	Ray Powell Incumbent	49.9%	249,481
Total Votes				499,666
Election results via New Mexico Secretary of State

Election analysis

This section will contain facts and figures related to this state's elections when those are available.

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• New Mexico public lands commissioner official website

Footnotes

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