According to the Bernalillo County Clerk’s Office, 23% or upwards of 83,000, of eligible Albuquerque voters have already voted early or have cast absentee ballots as of midday Monday December 8 for the December 9 runoff municipal election. On the ballot city wide is the Mayors race between incumbent Progressive Democrat Mayor Tim Keller and MAGA Republican Darren White. West Side voters also will decide two Albuquerque City Council races in Districts 1 and 3 when they go to the polls on December 9.
The 83,000 early voting number exceeds the nearly 75,500 early voting and absentee votes cast in advance of the Nov. 4 election. This year in the November 4 election, nearly 135,000 votes or 37.1% of registered city voters were cast where seven candidates for Mayor were on the ballot. That surpassed the 32% turnout mark from the city’s last mayoral election in 2021. Albuquerque’s last mayoral runoff election in 2017 brought out 28.7% of eligible city voters. That year, a total of 96,864 votes were cast in a runoff between Keller and City Councilor Dan Lewis. Mayor Keller won his first term as mayor by a landslide with 62% of the vote to Lewis’ 38%.
City Desk, the on line news publication, reported by the time early voting ended Saturday December 6, a total of 82,013 votes had been cast or 22% of eligible voters had voted in the runoff. Of those, 43,350 or 53% were registered Democrats and 26,131 or 32% were registered Republicans. Another 12,529 or 15% are “decline to state” or independent. The early vote in all likely gave Mayor Keller the advantage. However, Republicans are known for voting in greater numbers on Election Day and City Desk ABQ reported White was tracking a “large number” of anti-Keller Democrats saying they voted for White. Keller’s campaign for its part has told supporters the race is closer than partisan registration would predict. As a result, the Keller campaign relied heavily over the weekend before election day on “door to door” efforts to get out to vote to boost election day turn out, especially amongst Democrats.
The strong early voting turnout is definitive evidence that there is strong interest in the outcome of the Mayor’s race between Mayor Tim Keller, who is seeking and unprecedented third term, and Republican and former two term Bernalillo County Sherriff Darren White. In the November 4 regular election, Keller received 36% of votes cast compared with 31% for White in a seven-way contest. The race between the two has proven to be one of the most contested and negative campaigns for Mayor in the city’s history.
Brian Sanderoff, president of Albuquerque-based Research & Polling Inc., who does the exclusive polling for the Albuquerque Journal, said that what has driven the increase turnout is a choice between two experienced and well-known candidates who hold markedly different positions on a variety of issues. Sanderoff said the decision for voters comes down to whether they want to give Tim Keller another term or opt for change, and if that change is with Darren White. The mayoral race has been hard-hitting, focusing on crime and homelessness. Sanderoff said this:
“We’ve had a robust turnout for early and absentee voting. … We should have total votes cast similar to the Nov. 4 election. … The fact that they’re well known and the fact that they’re so different from each other contributes to the high turnout. These are [two] people who really come from different perspectives, different styles, different policy positions. And so the voters have a real choice here. … We’re hearing two different viewpoints. Same thing with homelessness. You know, Darren White says on day one he’s going to clean up the encampments. Tim Keller saying, you can’t arrest your way out of this issue. So, the voters have some pretty good choices here, pretty distinct choices.”
CITY COUNCIL SEATS
West Side voters also will decide the two westside Albuquerque City Council races in Districts 1 and 3. The races are:
In City Council District 1, Progressive Democrat Stephanie Telles faces off against Republican Joshua Taylor Neal for the open West Side council district seat. On November 4, Telles received 36% of the vote to Neal’s 26% in a four-way contest to succeed Councilor Louie Sanchez, who chose not to seek a second term to pursue an unsuccessful bid for mayor.
In City Council District 3, three term incumbent moderate Democrat Councilor Klarissa Peña faces off against challenger Progressive Democrat Teresa Garcia. Peña received 41% of the vote to Garcia’s 38% share in a three-way contest. District 3 is located in far southwest Albuquerque.
The link to a relied upon or quoted news sources is here:
https://www.abqjournal.com/election/article_12e313b7-294a-4493-a27d-fa3331f83404.html
https://www.koat.com/article/what-is-a-runoff-election-albuquerque-2025/69257433
COMMENTARY
The 50 voting sites open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m
Please vote December 9 if you have not already voted!
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