Ronald Trujillo was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He graduated from Santa Fe High School and attended New Mexico State University. As of his 2025 campaign, he was retired. His career includes more than 25 years with the New Mexico Department of Transportation, where he worked as a highway inspector and fleet manager, and 12 years of public service on the Santa Fe City Council.[1]
The ranked-choice voting election was won by Michael Garcia in round 7 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.
Ronald Trujillo completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Trujillo's responses.
I am Ronald S. Trujillo, a lifelong resident of Santa Fe and candidate for Santa Fe Mayor in 2025. Born and raised in this community, I have dedicated my life to public service, working to improve the lives of residents and preserve the unique character of The City Different. With years of experience in local government and civic leadership, I have built a reputation for responsible leadership, real solutions, and a deep commitment to a resilient Santa Fe.
My campaign is rooted in the values that define our city: community first, transparent government, and inclusive growth. I am focused on addressing housing opportunities for all, enhancing public safety, supporting small businesses, and ensuring our city remains affordable and livable for everyone.
I believe that leadership means listening to the people, making tough but fair decisions, and always keeping the best interests of Santa Fe at heart. As mayor, I will continue to work hard to earn the trust of every resident and to deliver meaningful results for our community.
1. Responsible Leadership
I bring decades of experience serving Santa Fe with integrity, accountability, and deep respect for our community. As a lifelong resident, I understand the needs and values of our city. My leadership is about listening to everyone, making fair decisions, and ensuring our government remains transparent and responsive. As mayor, I will continue to put the interests of Santa Fe’s families and neighborhoods first, guiding our city with steady hands and a clear vision for the future.
2. Real Solutions
Santa Fe faces serious challenges such as housing affordability, public safety, and supporting small businesses. My campaign focuses on delivering real and practical solutions to the issues that matter most. I will work collaboratively to create more housing opportunities, improve city services, strengthen our local economy, and ensure that everyone has a voice in shaping our city’s future.
3. A Resilient Santa Fe
I believe in building a Santa Fe that is strong, inclusive, and prepared for the future. Together we can create a city that protects its cultural heritage while embracing progress. I will prioritize sustainability, economic resilience, and policies that help everyone thrive. By investing in people, neighborhoods, and smart growth we can ensure Santa Fe remains a place where families, workers, and businesses can prosper for generations to come.
I am passionate about creating a better future for Santa Fe’s children and families by focusing on affordable housing, public safety, and strong city services. During my 12 years as a city councilor, I brought the Santa Fe Fishing Derby to give kids and families a free way to enjoy the outdoors and created the Santa Fe Parks Bond to improve parks and open spaces. I believe we must get back to the basics by delivering reliable city services, maintaining our infrastructure, and ensuring Santa Fe remains a safe, welcoming, and resilient place where every child and family can thrive.
I look up to my mother and father for the values they instilled in me. They taught me the importance of hard work, honesty, and treating everyone with respect. Their example showed me how to care for others, stand by my word, and give back to the community. I try to follow their example every day by working hard for the people around me and making decisions that reflect the values they passed on to me.
I would recommend Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy, which was largely written by his advisor Ted Sorensen. This book tells the stories of leaders who showed true courage by standing up for what was right, even when it was unpopular or risky. It reflects my belief that leadership requires integrity, listening to the people, and putting the community’s needs ahead of personal or political gain. The examples in this book have inspired me to lead with honesty, courage, and a deep sense of responsibility.
An elected official must always remember they are here to serve the people, not themselves. Listening to constituents is the foundation of good leadership because the best ideas and solutions come from the community. Every voice matters, and it is my responsibility to hear concerns, understand different perspectives, and turn that feedback into meaningful action. I believe public service is about putting others first, making decisions with humility and respect, and working every day to earn the trust and confidence of the people I represent.
I bring a depth of experience and proven leadership that I believe sets me apart. I have held several positions in state government and served 12 years on the Santa Fe City Council which has given me a clear understanding of how government works at both the local and state levels. I know how to navigate challenges, build consensus, and deliver results for the community. My experience has taught me how to listen, lead, and act with accountability and integrity which are qualities that will help me continue to serve Santa Fe effectively.
The core responsibility of the mayor is to ensure that Santa Fe delivers reliable and effective basic city services that meet the needs of every resident. This starts with the fundamentals such as keeping our streets safe and clean, maintaining and improving our parks and public spaces, repairing and caring for our infrastructure, and providing essential services that people can count on every single day. These services are not luxuries. They are the foundation of a healthy, functional, and thriving community.
Santa Fe is not just another city. It is the capital of New Mexico and should reflect the character, dignity, and beauty of our entire state. As the capital city, Santa Fe must set the standard for excellence in how we care for our community and how we welcome visitors from across New Mexico and beyond. Our city should look, feel, and operate like the vibrant and respected capital it is meant to be. That means taking care of the basics, listening closely to the people we serve, and making sure every decision is grounded in the needs and priorities of the community.
As mayor, I also believe it is critical to protect and preserve one of our most precious resources which is water. In New Mexico we know how scarce and vital water is to our way of life. Santa Fe must lead the way in conserving water, investing in responsible infrastructure, and planning thoughtfully for the future so that our children and grandchildren can continue to live and thrive here. Protecting our water supply is not just good policy. It is our responsibility to the generations that come after us.
I would like to be remembered as a city councilor and mayor who cared deeply for Santa Fe and its residents. Someone who listened, worked hard, and followed through on doing what was best for the community. I want my legacy to reflect a true commitment to serving the people, improving the quality of life for everyone, and making decisions that helped move Santa Fe forward while honoring its history and unique character.
The first historical event I remember from my lifetime is the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. I was 17 years old at the time. It was a shocking and heartbreaking moment that showed how even great achievements can come with risks and reminded us how precious and fragile life is.
My very first job was as a grocery sacker at the Safeway on Grant Avenue in Santa Fe. I worked there for two and a half years and during that time I moved up to being a stocker and then a cashier. That experience taught me the value of hard work, showing up on time, and treating people with respect. Those lessons have stayed with me ever since.
My favorite book is Where the Red Fern Grows. It’s a beautiful story about love, loyalty, hard work, and the bond between a boy and his dogs. The book shows how determination and heart can carry you through challenges and how the simplest things in life often mean the most. It’s a story that has stayed with me because of its powerful message about perseverance and the deep connection we have with the people and animals we love.
I would choose to be Aquaman because he protects his people, cares for the ocean, and can even talk to whales. His leadership and connection to nature are qualities I admire and strive to reflect in my own life.
The last song that got stuck in my head was Dead Man’s Party by Oingo Boingo. It’s a catchy and energetic song that just seems to stick with you once you hear it.
Living with tinnitus has been a real struggle in my life. The constant ringing can be distracting and exhausting at times, but I have learned to cope with it and not let it define me. It has taught me to be patient, to stay focused even in difficult moments, and to keep moving forward no matter the challenge.
To me, being a mayor means being the person who listens to everyone in the community and works every day to bring people together around shared goals. A mayor leads by example, showing integrity, fairness, and a deep respect for the people they serve. Leadership is not about power or position. It is about service and responsibility. It means making tough decisions with the well-being of the entire community in mind and ensuring that every resident feels heard and valued. As mayor, I see myself as a servant to the people, guiding the city with vision and care, and making sure Santa Fe remains a strong, safe, and welcoming place for all.
If the mayor is a member of the city council while the city manager oversees day-to-day administration, I believe the mayor’s top priority is to provide strong leadership by setting a clear vision for the city and bringing the council and community together to achieve it. The mayor should focus on the issues that matter most to residents and ensure the city’s decisions reflect those priorities.
For me, that starts with public safety because everyone deserves to feel secure in their homes and neighborhoods. It also means investing in infrastructure and basic city services like clean streets, reliable utilities, and well-maintained parks because these are the foundation of a healthy city. Supporting economic development is essential too, creating opportunities for local businesses and jobs so families can thrive here in Santa Fe.
Affordable housing and homelessness require immediate and lasting solutions to keep Santa Fe livable and welcoming for everyone. Fiscal responsibility is critical because we must respect taxpayer dollars and ensure they are managed wisely and transparently.
The mayor should also foster strong community engagement, ensuring residents feel heard, informed, and included in shaping the future of our city. Just as important, we must honor and respect the diverse cultures, deep history, and rich traditions that make Santa Fe unique. These are the heart of who we are and must always be preserved and celebrated as we grow.
Finally, we need to plan for the future by addressing climate change and investing in sustainability to protect our natural resources and preserve Santa Fe’s character for generations to come.
In this role, the mayor must lead with integrity, listen to the community, and serve with a commitment to making Santa Fe safer, stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient for everyone.
What I love most about Santa Fe is the diversity, the history, the people, and the traditions. Our city is a place where many cultures come together to create something truly special. The rich history is visible all around us and the traditions keep us connected to who we are and where we came from. But most of all it is the people, hardworking, creative, and caring, who make Santa Fe such a unique and welcoming place to call home.
I believe Santa Fe’s greatest challenges over the next decade will be addressing homelessness, creating more affordable housing, and ensuring public safety. Homelessness continues to affect individuals and families in our community, and we need real, compassionate, and sustainable solutions to help people get back on their feet. Affordable housing is critical so that working families and young people can continue to live and thrive here without being priced out of the city they call home. Public safety remains a top priority as well because everyone deserves to feel secure in their neighborhoods and confident that the city is protecting them and their families. Meeting these challenges will require strong leadership, collaboration, and a commitment to doing what is best for the people of Santa Fe.
I believe the ideal relationship between the city and the state government is built on collaboration, respect, and open communication. Both share the same goal of serving the people of New Mexico, and by working together, we can achieve much more than we could alone. The state can support the city with resources, expertise, and policies that help address local challenges, while the city provides valuable insight into the needs and priorities of our community. A strong partnership ensures that Santa Fe’s unique character, culture, and needs are respected while also contributing to the success of the entire state.
The ideal relationship between the city and the federal government should be rooted in cooperation, respect, and a shared commitment to serving the public. The city has a responsibility to abide by federal laws and regulations while also advocating for the unique needs and priorities of our community. The federal government can provide resources, funding, and support to help address challenges like housing, infrastructure, and public safety. By working within the framework of federal law and maintaining open communication, the city can ensure that Santa Fe benefits from federal support while staying true to its local values and character.
A strong relationship between the mayor’s office and law enforcement depends on collaboration, trust, and mutual respect. The mayor should work closely with law enforcement leadership to ensure officers have the proper training, resources, and equipment to perform their duties effectively and efficiently. It is also important to make sure that officers can afford to live in the community they serve by addressing housing needs for law enforcement and other city workers. At the same time, the mayor must ensure that law enforcement remains accountable to the community and serves the public with fairness, professionalism, and integrity. This partnership should focus on keeping neighborhoods and businesses safe while fostering an environment where the public feels comfortable approaching and speaking with officers, building trust and strong connections between law enforcement and the people they protect.
I believe financial transparency and government accountability are absolutely essential to building and maintaining trust with the people we serve. Taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent and to feel confident that every dollar is used responsibly to benefit the community. As mayor, I will ensure that the city’s finances are managed openly, with clear communication about priorities, budgets, and outcomes. I will also hold myself and city staff accountable for the decisions we make, always putting the interests of the public first. Government should operate in the light of day, with honesty and respect for the people who place their trust in us.
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