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Mayoral election in Albuquerque, New Mexico (2025)
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← 2021
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| 2025 Albuquerque elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: July 7, 2025 (publicly financed) August 26, 2025 (privately financed) September 2, 2025 (write-in) |
| General election: November 4, 2025 Runoff election: December 9, 2025 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor |
| Total seats up: 1 (click here for other city elections) |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2025 |
Six candidates are running in the general election for mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico, on November 4, 2025. If no candidate receives a majority, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff on December 9, 2025. The mayor serves a four-year term, and there are no term limits.
Incumbent Tim Keller and challengers Mayling Armijo, Louie Sanchez, Alexander Uballez, and Darren White lead in media coverage and fundraising ahead of the election.
KOAT's Brian Sanderoff said, "This race will come down to a referendum on the mayor. Will people think it's time for a change, or will people think that the mayor has progressed enough that it's worth giving him a third [term]?"[1] The challengers are positioning themselves against Keller on issues like homelessness and crime.
Keller, who was first elected mayor in 2017, is running on his record. According to his campaign website, "Tim Keller is running for reelection for two clear reasons. First, he’s done the real work to repair decades-long challenges holding our city back. ... Second, he’s running to stand up to Trump’s policies and the harmful cuts that threaten our families and safety."[2] In an August 2025 state of the city address, Keller said, "For the first time in a long time, we are seeing what is working and now is no time to abandon the progress that we've made."[3]
Armijo is a U.S. Navy veteran and executive director of a small business development company. She was Sandoval County deputy manager and Bernalillo County director of economic development.[4] Armijo said, "My vision for Albuquerque is grounded in safer neighborhoods, stronger small businesses, and a city government that actually delivers for the people who live here."[4]
Sanchez is a city councilor, business owner, and retired police officer.[5] His campaign website describes his vision as "Focused on Safer Communities, a Stronger Economy, and Real Homelessness Solutions—with a commitment to bold, collaborative leadership that delivers results."[6]
Uballez served as a U.S. attorney during President Joe Biden's (D) administration. He resigned at President Donald Trump's (R) request in February 2025.[7] Uballez said, "While we are making the streets safe, we need to get out of the way of development so that people and [small] businesses, entertainment venues, restaurants, bars and affordable housing for people to live near all of those things can exist here in Albuquerque so we can keep people here, so we can draw people here."[8]
White was head of the New Mexico State Police and sheriff of Bernalillo County.[9] On his campaign website, White said, "I have a proven record of fighting crime, protecting our communities, and upholding law and order. I’ll unshackle the police, end Mayor Keller’s failed sanctuary policies, clean up homeless encampments, and restore safety to Albuquerque’s streets, parks, and businesses while cutting government waste and making our city a place where families and businesses can thrive again."[10]
While the position is officially nonpartisan, local media reported some candidates' party affiliations, and other candidates have stated their own party affiliation or political philosophy. Keller, Armijo, Sanchez, and Uballez are affiliated with the Democratic Party, and White called himself a fiscal conservative.[11][4][12][13][14]
Keller was the only candidate who qualified for public financing. Keller received $734,000 in taxpayer dollars toward his campaign after securing at least 3,779 five-dollar donations.[15][16] According to the city's campaign finance system, as of September 29, 2025, Keller had raised $23,000 apart from public financing, Sanchez had raised $224,000, White had raised $216,000, Uballez had raised $203,000, and Armijo had raised $110,000.[17] Eddie Varela, who had raised $38,000, is also running.[17] Daniel Chavez dropped out of the race in September 2025, but will still appear on the ballot.[18]
These numbers do not account for spending from satellite groups known as measure finance committees.[19] As of September 29, a measure finance committee supporting Keller's re-election had raised $155,000, and a measure finance committee supporting Armijo had raised $145,000.[20]
The filing deadline for publicly financed candidates was July 7, 2025, and the filing deadline for privately financed candidates was August 26, 2025. The write-in filing deadline was September 2, 2025.
Candidates and election results
General election
The general election will occur on November 4, 2025.
General election for Mayor of Albuquerque
The following candidates are running in the general election for Mayor of Albuquerque on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Tim Keller (Nonpartisan) | |
 | Mayling Armijo (Nonpartisan)  | |
 | Louie Sanchez (Nonpartisan) | |
 | Alexander Uballez (Nonpartisan) | |
| Eddie Varela (Nonpartisan) | ||
 | Darren White (Nonpartisan) | |
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| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Patrick Sais (Nonpartisan)
- Alpana Adair (Nonpartisan)
- Brian Fejer (Nonpartisan)
- Daniel Chavez (Nonpartisan) (Unofficially withdrew)
- Adeo Herrick (Nonpartisan)
Voting information
What is the voter registration deadline?
- In-person: Nov. 4
- By mail: Received by Oct. 7
- Online: Oct. 7
What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?
- In-person: Oct. 21
- By mail: Received by Oct. 21
- Online: Oct. 21
What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?
- In-person: Nov. 4
- By mail: Received by Nov. 4
Is early voting available to all voters? Yes
What are the early voting start and end dates? Oct. 7-Nov. 1
Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? No
When are polls open on Election Day? 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Candidate comparison
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.
Incumbent: Yes
Political Office:
- New Mexico State Auditor (2015-2017)
- New Mexico State Senate - District 17 (2009-2014)
Biography: Keller earned a bachelor's degree in art history from the University of Notre Dame and a master's degree in business administration from Harvard University. Before public office, he worked in the private sector and for Tribal governments.
Show sources
Sources: Tim Keller 2025 campaign website, "Why Tim?" accessed September 23, 2025; KUNM, "Albuquerque Mayor upholds immigrant protections in the face of federal threats," August 26, 2025; Tim Keller 2025 campaign website, "Candidate Comparison," accessed September 23, 2025; City of Albuquerque, "About Mayor Timothy M. Keller and First Lady Elizabeth J. Kistin Keller, PhD," accessed September 23, 2025; One Alburquerque, "Biography of Mayor Tim M. Keller," accessed September 23, 2025
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I am a New Mexican-born, proud daughter of an immigrant and a Hispanic veteran small business owner. I understand firsthand the challenges our families and communities face. My commitment to fighting for the people of Albuquerque comes from lived experience. I know the impacts of substance abuse, homelessness, and mass incarceration within my own family. These realities have shaped my passion for ensuring Albuquerque residents have the resources, opportunities, and strong leadership we deserve. I believe in practical solutions. I have worked with leaders across the political spectrum, always with a focus on getting things done. My commitment has never been to partisan politics, but to economic development, public service, and community. I’m running for Mayor because I’ve spent my entire career in service. My time in the United States Navy taught me discipline, responsibility, and the importance of protecting the people around me. Leadership means stepping up, making tough calls, and doing what’s right, even when it’s not easy. I proudly serve as a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, leading teams during operations and deployments both at home and abroad. With 20 years of leadership experience across the private, public, and military sectors, I have dedicated my career to pushing for real progress."
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Albuquerque City Council - District 1 (elected 2021)
Biography: Sanchez was a state police officer, where he served in the gang unit, narcotics, security detail, and more. After retiring in 2014, Sanchez became an Albuquerque Public Schools officer. In 2015, he founded an Allstate agency.
Show sources
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: Uballez earned his bachelor's degree from Pomona College and his law degree from Columbia Law School. He was an assistant district attorney, assistant U.S. attorney, then U.S. attorney.
Show sources
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: White served in the United States Army before becoming a police officer and earning a bachelor's degree in management. He later worked as the head of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, sheriff of Bernalillo County, Albuquerque public safety director, chief executive officer of a medical cannabis producer, and radio show host.
Show sources
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
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
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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Mayling Armijo (Nonpartisan)
As a Navy veteran, I know what leadership and accountability mean. I will #CleanUpABQ by rebuilding trust between officers and the community, boosting recruitment and retention, hiring new leadership, and investing in crime prevention. Through community policing initiatives, neighborhood liaisons, and mental health crisis teams, I will make neighborhoods safer while strengthening connections between police and residents.
Housing That Works for Albuquerque
I believe we can be compassionate while being smart — nobody wins when people are on the streets. I will invest in housing solutions that restore dignity and provide support while keeping neighborhoods safe. My approach includes enforcing no-sleep zones near schools, parks, and transit, cracking down on criminal behavior, and developing mixed-income housing, transitional programs, and safe camping zones with essential services.
Economic Opportunity for Everyone
Mayling Armijo (Nonpartisan)
Mayling Armijo (Nonpartisan)
Mayling Armijo (Nonpartisan)
You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:
Campaign advertisements
This section includes a selection of up to three campaign advertisements per candidate released in this race, as well as links to candidates' YouTube, Vimeo, and/or Facebook video pages. If you are aware of other links that should be included, please email us.
Tim Keller
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Tim Keller while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Mayling Armijo
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Mayling Armijo while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Daniel Chavez
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Daniel Chavez while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Louie Sanchez
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Louie Sanchez while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Alexander Uballez
Darren White
Ballotpedia did not come across any campaign ads for Darren White while conducting research on this election. If you are aware of any ads that should be included, please email us.
Endorsements
Click the links below to see official endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites for any candidates that make that information available. If you are aware of a website that should be included, please email us.
Election spending
Campaign finance
Candidates in this election submitted campaign finance reports to the City Clerk's Office. Click here to access those reports.
Satellite spending
- See also: Satellite spending
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[21][22][23]
If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.
Mayoral partisanship
Albuquerque has a Democratic mayor. As of October 2025, 66 mayors in the largest 100 cities by population are affiliated with the Democratic Party, 23 are affiliated with the Republican Party, one is affiliated with the Libertarian Party, three are independents, five identify as nonpartisan or unaffiliated, and two mayors' affiliations are unknown. Click here for a list of the 100 largest cities' mayors and their partisan affiliations.
Mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan in most of the nation's largest cities. However, many officeholders are affiliated with political parties. Ballotpedia uses one or more of the following sources to identify each officeholder's partisan affiliation: (1) direct communication from the officeholder, (2) current or previous candidacy for partisan office, or (3) identification of partisan affiliation by multiple media outlets.
Help inform our readers
Take our candidate survey
- See also: Survey
At Ballotpedia, we believe that everyone deserves meaningful, reliable, trustworthy information about their candidates. We also know that good information—especially at the local level—is hard to find. That's why Ballotpedia created Candidate Connection.
We ask all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Our survey helps voters better understand how their candidates think about the world and how they intend to govern—information they need to feel confident they're picking the best person for the role.
If you are a candidate, take our survey here. Or you can ask a candidate to take the survey by sharing the link with them.
Submit endorsements
Endorsements can be particularly helpful for voters trying to decide between candidates in local races, which often feature nonpartisan candidates. Endorsements from individuals and organizations can help voters better understand policy differences between candidates in these cases where little or no other news coverage of policy stances exists.
Candidates, share endorsements here. Readers, share endorsements you know about here.
About the city
- See also: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is a city in Bernalillo County, New Mexico. As of 2020, its population was 564,559.
City government
- See also: Mayor-council government
The city of Albuquerque uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body while the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Albuquerque, New Mexico | ||
|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | New Mexico | |
| Population | 564,559 | 2,117,522 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 187 | 121,312 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 70.3% | 70% |
| Black/African American | 3.1% | 2.1% |
| Asian | 3% | 1.6% |
| Native American | 4.5% | 9.3% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Other (single race) | N/A | 8.8% |
| Multiple | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 49.2% | 49.2% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 90.9% | 86.5% |
| College graduation rate | 36.5% | 28.1% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $53,936 | $51,243 |
| Persons below poverty level | 16% | 18.6% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2015-2020). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
2025 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This is a battleground election. Other 2025 battleground elections include:
- City elections in Washington, D.C. (2025)
- Newark Public Schools, New Jersey, elections (2025)
- South-Western City Schools, Ohio, elections (2025)
See also
| Albuquerque, New Mexico | New Mexico | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ KOAT 7, "Commitment 2025: More candidates join Albuquerque mayoral race," May 1, 2025
- ↑ Tim Keller 2025 campaign website, "Why Tim?" accessed September 22, 2025
- ↑ KOAT 7, "Albuquerque mayoral candidates respond to Mayor Tim Keller's 'State of the City' address," August 26, 2025
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Mayling Armijo 2025 campaign website, "About Mayling," accessed September 29, 2025
- ↑ NMPBS, "City Councilor Louie Sanchez Wants to Be Mayor," September 19, 2025
- ↑ Louie Sanchez 2025 campaign website, "Donate," accessed September 26, 2025
- ↑ KOAT 7, "One-on-one with former US attorney Alex Uballez ahead of Albuquerque mayoral election," May 29, 2025
- ↑ The Paper, "Uballez Running for Mayor, Touts Experience," May 1, 2025
- ↑ Darren White 2025 campaign website, "About," accessed September 22, 2025
- ↑ Darren White 2025 campaign website, "Plan for Albuquerque," accessed September 26, 2025
- ↑ Tim Keller 2025 campaign website, "Issues & Support at a Glance," accessed September 23, 2025
- ↑ KRQE, "City councilor announces 2025 run for Albuquerque mayor," April 8, 2025
- ↑ Axios, "Scoop: Former Biden U.S. attorney to run for Albuquerque mayor," April 18, 2025
- ↑ YouTube, "Darren White for Mayor of Albuquerque 2025," March 6, 2025
- ↑ KOAT 7, "Public financing under scrutiny in Albuquerque’s mayoral race," May 28, 2025
- ↑ City of Albuquerque Campaign Finance System, "Timothy Keller," accessed Sepotember 29, 2025
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 City of Alburquerque Campaign Finance System, "Candidates," accessed September 22, 2025
- ↑ Albuquerque Journal, "Mayoral candidate ends campaign amid low polling and battery allegations," September 30, 2025
- ↑ KOAT, "Public financing under scrutiny in Albuquerque’s mayoral race," May 28, 2025
- ↑ City of Albuquerque Campaign Finance System, "Measure Finance Committees," accessed September 29, 2025
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed December 12, 2021
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," December 12, 2021
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