Albuquerque’s upcoming mayoral election on Tuesday will determine whether incumbent Mayor Tim Keller secures a third term or is replaced by one of his five opponents.
Competing for the leadership of New Mexico’s largest city are six candidates. Lining up against Keller are Mayling Armijo, a small business owner; Eddie Varela, a retired firefighter; Alex Uballez, former U.S. Attorney for New Mexico; City Councilor Louie Sanchez; and Darren White, former Bernalillo County Sheriff.
Should no candidate achieve a majority with over 50% of the vote, a runoff election is scheduled for December 9 between the top two contenders. Notably, all candidates in the race are running without party affiliation.
Mayor Keller has garnered significant support from several labor unions, including endorsements from the Teamsters and the AFL-CIO of New Mexico.
In the only televised debate, the candidates tackled pressing issues such as crime, homelessness, the economy, and immigration. Keller defended his tenure, highlighting his initiatives on public safety, like the deployment of gunshot detection and license plate readers across Albuquerque. However, his opponents criticized his decision to utilize the National Guard in crime-fighting efforts, with Keller maintaining that this was a coordinated effort with the governor and local law enforcement.
During the sole televised debate, candidates debated crime, homelessness, the economy and immigration. Keller defended his public safety policies as mayor, pointing to gunshot and license plate readers throughout the city. Other candidates, however, criticized Keller for using the National Guard to combat crime in the city. The mayor insisted that the Guard was working in conjunction with the governor and local police.
Polls will close in New Mexico at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday. Follow along with election results in the Albuquerque mayoral race in the tracker below:
Also Read: Results of the 2025 Minneapolis Mayoral Election Announced
