In the running for Gray County Clerk is Candace Hanson, who served in the County Clerk’s office for four years, learning every aspect of the job and taking a great deal of pride and tremendous care in being a keeper of the record.
“I absolutely love the County Clerk’s office. I never would have thought I would have become so intrigued by the history and even the law part of it, but I just fell in love with it.”
Candace started in the County Clerk’s office working the criminal desk where she handled criminal, mental health, and juvenile cases. After the retirement of one of the other clerks, Candace would learn the probate, guardianship, and civil side of the job, having learned real estate in between, on top of taking care of customers who came through the door.
The role of every clerk in that office goes far beyond what many people would imagine, and the amount of communication between agencies within the county that tie back into the clerk’s office is truly extensive, and it’s something that Candace has plenty of experience in.
“The County Clerk is the keeper of records, but what are the records? A lot of people do not know what the clerks do, I didn’t even know the extent of it. I did the warrants for both civil and criminal, and they would go to the police department and the sheriff’s office. Protective orders start at crisis centers, then they would have to file it with the County Attorney, and then the County Attorney would give it to our office and then we would do the protective order.”
“We’ve done burial transits, hospital liens, and I’ve done most of the deputations. If the sheriff’s office hired someone, they would have to come to the County Clerk’s office with their paperwork and I would have to swear them in. I know the whole office, I know all the reports the County Clerk has to do-I don’t think there’s anything that I don’t know in that office.”
The handling of people’s lives in print is a task not to be taken lightly, from marriage licenses and death certificates to military records and property deeds, so the job of a clerk holds a lot of responsibility, but the County Clerk acts as on oversight in making sure that every piece is handled delicately, professionally and in accordance with the law, as well as putting together budgets for the office, filing reports, recording minutes for County Commissioners meetings, and maintaining an unmatched level of security and confidentiality.
“I was asked why the County Clerk is an elected official, and I said it would be like any political office because you don’t want someone corrupt in that office. You have social security numbers and a lot of confidential information, so you don’t want someone in that office who is dishonest.”
Through her experience working within the office in multiple capacities, Candace is confident she can fulfill the role of County Clerk, and when it comes to creating a budget for the office, not only would she keep in mind her staff’s needs, but the county’s needs as well.
“Our supplies and salaries are paid by the taxpayers, and I don’t want to waste that money. As a single mom, I understand what it means to save money anywhere you can. I don’t mind refurbishing something-I see the bones in something and what it can be from what it is.”
When it comes to what changes she would like to see and potentially make if elected, it boils down to security and making sure the clerks have the training they need to not only understand the job, but to do the job to the best of their ability.
“When I was there, only a couple of people had a key to that office. I would like to have it where there would be a keypad to get into that office because that keypad records who comes in. Something else I would like to see is, when I went to the Texas College Probate Judges conference in San Antonio, I learned so much from just those few days. That conference isn’t costly, but it’s not something everyone in the office could do, but places like Amarillo and some of the surrounding towns have conferences where I would like to send a couple of deputies to get a little bit more background and history and knowledge to do their job better and understand it better.”
Folks who come into the County Clerk’s office are usually there for a very important document or record they need-their reasons varying and their stories unique, and Candace understands that each individual deserves the same amount of respect and care as those essential documents do, no matter the circumstance.
“I love the public, I love the history, and I love waiting on customers. I believe in giving back to the community and it’s something that really brings me joy. It doens’t matter what status you are in the community, everybody deserves the same quality of service and the same smiling face as they walk in. People come in and they’ll tell you how their day is or what their story is, and sometimes they just need to talk to someone and I’ll listen and let them know that I will pray for them. Just let them know that things will get better .”
Early voting will be February 17th through February 27th at the Gray County Courthouse, 205 N. Russell in Room 104. Times are: Tuesday, February 17th through Friday, February 20th-8 AM to 5 PM
Saturday, February 21: 7 AM to 7 PM
Sunday, February 22: 12 PM to 6 PM
Monday, February 23 through Friday, February 27: 7 AM to 7 PM.
Election Day, March 3: 7 AM to 7 PM
Last day to register is February 2, 2026. Mail ballots will begin going out on January 24, 2026. Last day to request ballot by mail is February 20, 2026.
