Hays County judge accused of asking students to vote for him, placed on administrative leave

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – A Hays County candidate running for the 483rd Judicial District Court in Hays County, where he has served for two years, has been accused of asking students to vote for him.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Judge Tanner Neidhardt to the Hays County district court seat in Dec. 2022. Throughout his term, Neidhardt has also served as an adjunct professor at Texas State University, where he taught courses in courts and criminal procedures, according to his LinkedIn profile. 

“I ask for your vote so I remain Judge of [Hays County],” Neidhardt wrote in an Oct. 21 email to students. “I want to keep working to deliver efficient and fair Justice to our home here.  Without that, Justice delayed is Justice denied.  You have seen that our court does better,” the email continued. 

Texas law states an employee of a state agency, like a public university, cannot knowingly use an internal mail system for distributing political advertising. Further, Chevo Pastrano, an attorney working with Neidhardt's opponent, Alicia Key, said that a Texas State University email was sent to staff on Oct. 7 warning personnel not to use the email system to try and influence the election. 

“I take full responsibility for sending emails to students asking for their vote and support.  I did not see a recent email from the University about political messages,” Neidhardt said in a statement. “I apologize for any inconvenience my emails caused to the recipients or to the University.  After I learned of the policy, I did not send another,” his statement continued.

Neidhardt confirmed he was put on administrative leave from the University. 

Pastrano, who has been working with Key, told KXAN they were aware of an additional electioneering email sent to a large group of students. 

“It's just flatly illegal, clearly illegal,” Pastrano said. 

“I think that justice should be applied equally,” he continued. “I think that if we hold the average citizen accountable for following the laws of the state of Texas, we surely should hold [Neidhardt] accountable for following the laws of the state of Texas as well.”

Sarena Vare was a student in Neidhardt’s class and received the email about the district judge election. 

“I got the email, [and] it didn't really phase me,” Vare said. “He said multiple times that whatever you decide as a voter, that's your personal choice,” she said. “It wasn't something that I thought was inappropriate or against any rules that I knew of.”

Since Neidhardt has been placed on administrative leave, Vare has a new professor for the remainder of the semester.

“He was my favorite class – like, every Monday, Wednesday, I was looking forward to going to his class,” Vare said.