Albuquerque Heads to Mayoral Runoff: Keller vs. White in Contest Focused on Crime, Homelessness and the Economy

Voters in Albuquerque returned to the polls for a mayoral runoff after incumbent Tim Keller and former Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White failed to secure a majority in the Nov. 5 election.

Official tallies from the New Mexico Secretary of State showed Keller with 36% and White with 31% of the vote on Election Day. Because neither candidate surpassed the 50% threshold, the race advanced to a head-to-head runoff. Polls in Albuquerque close at 7 p.m. Mountain Time; the winner will serve a four-year term as mayor of New Mexico’s largest city.

What’s At Stake

Albuquerque faces persistent challenges including elevated violent-crime rates, a visible homelessness crisis and economic pressures. Both campaigns have made public safety and housing central themes, promising different approaches to restoring order, supporting vulnerable residents and boosting local opportunity.

Candidate Profiles

Tim Keller has served as Albuquerque’s mayor since 2017 and previously was a state senator and state auditor. His re-election campaign emphasizes continuity and building on local reforms — citing efforts to reform the city’s emergency response system, invest in neighborhoods and youth programs, support survivors of sexual violence, modernize the economy, and pursue climate goals.

Darren White is a U.S. Army veteran who has led the New Mexico State Police and served as Bernalillo County sheriff. He currently works in local media and previously ran for Congress. White’s campaign centers on restoring law-and-order policies, increasing police support and resources, clearing visible encampments, and cutting government waste to improve services.

Campaign Themes and Contrast

Keller frames his campaign around steady leadership and continued investment in community programs and public safety reforms. White emphasizes his law enforcement background and argues for more aggressive measures to reduce crime and disorder. Both candidates also discuss economic recovery and housing solutions, but they differ sharply on approaches to public safety and immigration-related policies.

National Attention and Context

The runoff drew national interest in part because of recent high-profile campaign events in the region. A presidential campaign visit to Albuquerque in the run-up to the Nov. 5 vote brought additional attention to the contest. Local mayoral races around the country — from Seattle to New York City — were also closely watched on the same day.

How They Advanced

Keller and White advanced to the runoff from a seven-candidate field on Nov. 5, 2025. Voters will decide the final outcome in the runoff election, which will determine who leads Albuquerque through the next four years as the city confronts public safety, homelessness and economic challenges.