The results of the November 4, 2025 election for Mayor of Albuquerque were reported by the New Mexico Secretary of State as follows:
- Timothy Keller 47,911 (36%)
- Darren White 41,137 (31%)
- Alexander Uballez 25,213 (19%)
- Louie Sanchez 8,647 (6%)
- Mayling Armijo 7,673 (6%)
- Eddie Varela 2,280 (2%)
- Daniel Chavez 1,366 (1%)
TOTAL VOTES 134,227 (100%)
The links to news sources are here:
https://electionresults.sos.nm.gov/resultsSW.aspx?type=MUX&map=CTY
https://www.kob.com/politics-news/decision-2025-metro-area-election-results/?cb=1763357730135
Since none of the seven candidates received 50% of the vote, a runoff will now be held on December 9 between Tim Keller and Darren White.
Alexander Uballez mounted the fiercest challenge of the other four candidates receiving 25,213 votes or 18.79% of the vote. Uballez positioned himself as a more progressive alternative to Keller saying that Keller was not doing enough to deal with protecting undocumented immigrants and that Keller has been a failure dealing with the homeless in a compassionate manner.
On election night, Alexander Uballez said this of his third-place finish:
“While we wanted to be in the runoff, our campaign is not stopping here. 20% is the bloc that will decide the runoff. … We cannot allow the keys to Albuquerque to be handed over to Darren White who would roll-over for Donald Trump.”
With his remarks on election night, Progressive Democrat Uballez urged his supporters not to support White but stopped short of formally endorsing Mayor Keller outright.
KELLER AND UBALLEZ MEET TWICE AND STILL NO PUBLIC ENDORSEMENT
On November 18, the Albuquerque Journal reported that Mayor Tim Keller and Alex Uballez have met twice since the November 4 election day to discuss the possibility of Uballez formally endorsing Mayor Keller for a third 4 year term. Representatives from four nonprofit organizations that backed Uballez’s campaign attended the meeting with Uballez to met with Keller. The 4 organizations were Organized Power in Numbers, New Mexico Native Vote, New Mexico Working Families and Organizers in the Land of Enchantment (OLÉ). All 4 organizations are considered highly progressive and assisted the Uballez campaign either with donations, volunteers or phone banking.
Among the demands Uballez made of Keller for a formal endorsement was to asked Mayor Keller to commit to eliminating homeless encampment sweeps, expand city rental assistance programs and work with tribal groups to protect Albuquerque’s petroglyphs. Uballez did not ask for anything for himself but asked for concessions on policy matters that could be used to convince his supporters to vote for Keller’s reelection. Keller declined to make any commitment on the issues discussed.
Uballez referring to the number of votes he secured on November 4 said this:
“I think it’s silly [for Keller] to walk away from 25,000 votes. … He needs to give us the tools to inspire people.”
The four progressive organizations who attended the Uballez-Keller meeting issued a joint statement on Monday, November 11 that described the meeting as productive but not definitive. The statement said this:
“The majority of the people of Albuquerque reject Darren White’s outdated and ineffective approach; but to turn them out to vote again in a runoff, they need to be catalyzed by a bold and comprehensive vision from the mayor that does more than defending what has been and points to the better that would be possible if they come out to cast a ballot again.”
In a statement issued on Monday, November 17, Mayor Keller said that he is not inclined to agree to Uballez’s, demands just to get his endorsement and backing. Keller said this of his meeting with Uballez and the progressive organizations:
“We had productive meetings and identified a great deal of common ground, but we made it clear that we will not engage in quid pro quo endorsements for his support or anyone else’s.”
Keller’s campaign indicated Monday it would readily accept Uballez’s backing, but also said the runoff election is not about “personalities or endorsements” but rather the direction the city is going. Keller’s campaign manager Neri Holguin said this a statement:
“We would welcome Alex Uballez’s support, along with that of all former candidates, as part of the broad coalition of Democrats, Republicans, independents, elected leaders, labor unions, and community organizations already standing with Mayor Keller to keep Darren White’s Trump-style politics out of Albuquerque.”
Uballez for his part acknowledged many of his supporters will likely vote for Mayor Keller in the nonpartisan runoff election regardless of whether he endorses him. However, Uballez said many of his supporters do not currently feel excited about casting a ballot in the runoff and said this:
“There’s a lot of them that don’t want to vote at all.”
The link to the relied upon and quoted news source is here:
https://www.abqjournal.com/election/article_bda264ac-5eca-4f0d-9509-285aeae53b9e.html
ALL THREE FAILED DEMOCRATS WHO RAN FOR MAYOR URGED TO ENDORSE PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT TIM KELLER
Progressive Democrat Alexander Uballez is not the only failed Democrat candidate for Mayor who has declined to publicly endorse Mayor Tim Keller in the runoff. The other two are conservative Democrat City Councilor Louie Sanchez who secured 6.44% of the vote and Moderate Democrat Mayling Armijo who secured 5.72% of the vote.
Confidential sources within the Democratic Party have confirmed that numerous Democratic Party Officials and party members have reached out to Democrats Alexander Uballez, Louie Sanchez and Mayling Armijo and have urged them to formally and publicly endorse Mayor Tim Keller. Thus far those efforts have failed.
The November 18 Bernalillo County Democratic Party weekly “Blue Review” News letter calls for unity and encouraged all Democrats and former candidates for Mayor to unit behind progressive Democrat Mayor Tim Keller.
The most prominent Democrat that is urging the three Democrats to endorse Mayor Keller for reelection is former Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez who is a Democratic Party National Committeeman. On Saturday, November 15, former Mayor Chavez appeared and spoke before the entire New Mexico Democratic Party State Central Committee meeting that met in Socorro, New Mexico. The Democratic Party State Central Committee numbers over 455 with about 250 attending in person the November 15 meeting and others attending virtually. The purpose of his speech was to report as Democratic State Central Committeeman to the State Central Committee on what is happening nationally within the Democratic party.
During his speech, Chavez took the opportunity to comment on the November 9 runoff between Progressive Democrat Mayor Tim Keller and MAGA Republican Darren White. In no uncertain terms, Chavez encourage Alexander Uballez, Louie Sanchez and Mayling Armijo to set aside their politcal differences with Keller, to unit with the Democratic Party and to formally endorse Democrat Mayor Tim Keller. Chavez said he has experienced the difficulty of being Mayor and has dealt with Darren White. Chavez emphasized just how disastrous Darren White would be as mayor with the audience applauding with approval.
On Sunday November 16, the Albuquerque Journal published on its editorial opinion page Mayor Chavez’s formal endorsement of Mayor Keller with the headline “Tim Keller is the right choice in the mayoral runoff election”. Former Mayor Chavez in his endorsement of Keller said this in part:
“Elections are about choices and Dec. 9, Albuquerqueans have a clear choice as to who should be mayor. I’ve never apologized for being conservative and pro-police on crime. Public safety is the first responsibility of local government — little else matters if we’re not safe in our community. That’s why in the runoff between Darren White and Tim Keller, I’m supporting Keller for reelection.
…
Put aside for a moment the scandals at APD during [Darren Whites’s] tenure, whether it be his well-reported interference with his former wife’s single car crash — police reports indicating impaired driving on her part — or tromping through the death scene of a prominent civil rights attorney, White has proven himself to be the opposite of a law and order candidate. Put aside as well that he quit Gary Johnson’s administration in disgust because Johnson supported legalizing marijuana and then turned around and invested mightily in the marijuana industry, if public safety is your No. 1 priority, White simply isn’t the guy. It’s no wonder that the New Mexico State Police Officers Association voted no confidence on White when he worked at the state level and it’s no wonder that the Albuquerque Police Officers Association is endorsing Keller.
…
… Washington, D.C., is in a state few in my generation could have ever imagined. The federal government is a shambles and the occupier of the part of the White House left undemolished spews division here and abroad. We ought not provide him with [Darren White who will be] a willing partner in our Mayor’s Office.”
The link to read the full Albuquerque Journal Chavez endorsement column is here:
https://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/article_1b6d37c1-2503-42c2-8486-828bb439b12f.html
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
The outcome of the December 9 runoff election between Progressive Democrat Mayor Tim Keller and MAGA Republican Darren White will likely hinge on the 19% of the votes cast for Democrat Alexander Uballez if and only if they actually get out and vote on December 9. It will NOT hinge on a Uballez endorsement nor any one else’s endorsement, including former Mayor Marty Chavez.
Brian Sanderoff, the president of Albuquerque-based Research & Polling Inc. that did the Albuquerque Journal poll, told the Albuquerque Journal a Uballez endorsement of Mayor Keller could be politically significant noting that Uballez received as much as 60% of the votes cast in one University of New Mexico voting precinct considered progressive Democrat. Sanderoff said it is not likely that Uballez supporters would back White, but it is not a certainty that they would support Keller in the runoff election or just stay home. Sanderoff said this: “The question is, will they vote?”
Uballez obviously feels he has done enough to help Keller by encouraging his voters to NOT vote for Darren White. None the less, Uballez went out of his way twice to meet with Keller seeking concessions on issues for a public endorsement and Keller declined. Uballez did not ask Keller for anything personal for himself, he did not ask for a job, but he did ask for concessions on policy issues that he could use to convince his supporters to get out and vote for Keller. So be it that Keller declined and both now need to move on.
The blunt reality is that way too much emphasis and time is being wasted to secure formal endorsements from the three failed Democratic candidates for Mayor. The presumption being made by those demanding the endorsements from Uballez, Sanchez and Armijo are that their supporters are too stupid to make a decision themselves between the two candidates of Keller and White in the runoff and that Democratic voters will merely follow the instructions of their failed candidates. That is laughable especially with Democrats who never walk goose step like MAGA Trump supporters. New Mexico Democrats engage in spirited debates, sometimes downright hostile, over their candidates and issues, but in the end always seem to get behind their candidates after primaries. The 2016 Democratic Primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders comes to mind.
In the final analysis, endorsements do not win elections. Uballez has already told his supporters not to vote for Darren White and that should be enough, even for the Democrats seeking unity. It’s now up to Democratic voters to decide to show up election day and vote for Keller. It is also up to Keller to make his own case that he is truly deserving of their vote and being elected to a third four-year term over extremist MAGA Republican Darren White.
Early voting for Albuquerque’s runoff election is set to begin Dec. 1 and run through Dec. 6. The first day for absentee ballots to be sent out to eligible voters who requested them is Tuesday. Please vote.
The link to a related article is here: