The city council election in Albuquerque’s district three sees challengers Christopher Sedillo, Teresa Garcia and incumbent city councilor Klarissa Peña. Garcia could not be reached in time for publication. District three represents the southwest side of the city.
Klarissa Peña
The incumbent city councilor, Peña was born and raised on Albuquerque’s Southwest Mesa, and led the Southwest Alliance of Neighbors for more than 20 years prior to her election to the city council in 2013, Peña wrote in a statement to the Daily Lobo. She serves as the 2025 city council vice president.
“On the council, I’ve continued that same hands-on, collaborative approach. I know how the city government works — and how to make it work for everyday residents. My lifelong roots and record of results qualify me to continue serving and delivering for the community that raised me,” Peña wrote.
During her time on the council, Peña has helped secure million dollar investments in long-overdue infrastructure and supported projects that brought jobs and small business growth to Albuquerque’s South Valley and westside, she wrote.
Peña believes the University of New Mexico is one of Albuquerque’s greatest strengths as a center for innovation, education and opportunity. She wants to strengthen city and University collaboration through expansion of internships and workforce pipelines with local employers, partnerships on housing and transit and collaboration on research and innovation in renewable energy, health and technology, she wrote.
“My approach has always been to build bridges, not walls. I’ve worked with mayors and councilors across the political spectrum to get things done, and I’ll continue to lead with collaboration and results in mind,” Peña wrote.
In district three, the $1.5 million in funding typically allotted to councilors for each district is crucial to addressing years of underinvestment, Peña wrote.
She plans to use the funds to prioritize infrastructure projects such as repairing roads, improving drainage, adding sidewalks and enhancing ADA accessibility, she wrote.
“I also invest in parks, lighting and safety improvements to make our neighborhoods more walkable and connected. Beyond infrastructure, I support funding for community centers, senior programs and youth initiatives that strengthen families and build pride on the Southwest Mesa,” Peña wrote.
Peña’s top concern is public safety, including fully staffing police and fire departments, investing in community policing and supporting mental health and addiction treatment to reduce crime, she wrote.
“Safety also depends on stable housing, good jobs and strong neighborhoods — and I’m committed to advancing policies that improve quality of life across Albuquerque,” Peña wrote.
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Christopher Sedillo
Sedillo, a retired Navy Senior Chief Radioman, brings a background in grassroots organizing, small business and community service to the table, which he believes has prepared him to listen, collaborate and lead with integrity, he wrote in a statement to the Daily Lobo.
Growing up in Albuquerque, Sedillo has been in the streets with Albuquerque residents to fight for safer housing, better wages and climate justice, he wrote.
“I know how to bring people together and how to challenge entrenched interests when they fail us. That’s the kind of leadership district three deserves,” Sedillo wrote.
Sedillo believes UNM should be at the heart of Albuquerque’s future, not a separate island, he wrote.
“My vision is a true partnership: one where students, faculty and the city work together to grow jobs, research and innovation that benefit everyone,” he wrote.
Sedillo wrote that this will mean expanding internship pipelines into city jobs, improving campus-area safety and partnering on housing so students aren’t priced out.
“I believe in transparency, accountability and respect. Even when I disagree with the mayor, I will keep lines of communication open and push for regular joint briefings that focus on residents’ needs rather than political rivalry,” Sedillo wrote. “I will make decisions based on what helps district three — not what hurts or helps City Hall insiders. The council should be a check on the mayor, but not a constant battlefield.”
If elected, Sedillo plans to use the money allocated to each district for community input, public safety through prevention, with more street lighting, sidewalks, safe crossings for kids and elders, small business support, safe outdoor spaces, including dignified, managed areas with bathrooms and services for the unhoused people in the community, he wrote.
For Sedillo, the number one issue facing district three is safety, not just in terms of policing, but whether families have stable housing, youth have opportunities, neighborhoods are clean and lit and whether people can trust their government, he wrote.
Sedillo plans to work to redirect resources toward community safety: affordable housing, addiction recovery programs, better mental health services and neighborhood infrastructure that prevents crime by building hope, he wrote.
Maria Fernandez is the copy editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at copy@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
