As the weeks tick down for Albuquerque citizenry to pick their mayor for the next four years, the wide field of candidates met on stage twice to let constituents hear their stances on issues including crime, homelessness, small businesses and immigration.
All six candidates still in the race were present at the first forum on Tuesday, Sept. 30: Mayling Armijo, incumbent Mayor Tim Keller, City Councilor Louie Sanchez, Alex Uballez, Eddie Varela and Darren White. White did not attend the second forum due to a family emergency. Former candidate Daniel Chavez, whose name will appear on the ballot, dropped out of the race and did not participate in the forums.
The earlier forum was hosted by the National Association for Industrial and Office Parks, at the Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown hotel and centered on the concerns of local business owners, and the later event was sponsored by neighborhood associations in and around Old Town at Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town.
In the first forum, each candidate had one minute to answer questions without a rebuttal, and in the second forum, each candidate had two minutes to answer with a 45-second rebuttal if specifically attacked by another candidate.
One of the most recurring topics in the forums was the prevalence of crime, with all candidates agreeing it’s a pressing issue facing Albuquerque. Rates of all categories of property crime and violent crime from January to June 2025, decreased from the same period in 2024.
Sanchez alleged a rise in violence on Albuquerque streets, referencing decreased prices of illicit drugs and an uptick in homicide rates.
“Homicides are up 19% this year from last year. We’re the 20th most violent city in the world right now. How many cities make that world list? And we are on it,” Sanchez said.
Albuquerque ranks 19th most dangerous place in the U.S. for its murder and property crimes rates, according to US News and World Report. Homicides decreased 9% from 2023-24, according to Albuquerque Police Department data. In the second forum during Keller’s rebuttal to Sanchez, he waved a piece of paper listing these statistics.
“Our teams are out here working with dozens of folks who are unhoused every week. Again, I’m not saying that there’s not more to do or anything else we should talk about, but I just want to be really clear that we absolutely work on this issue each day,” Keller said.
White said he wants to “thin out the bloated ranks of the executive command of our police department,” and return to proactive policing.
White pledged to remove Albuquerque’s status as a sanctuary city and actively collaborate with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. He specifically highlighted and called for a re-implementation of immigration status checks performed by ICE agents on those coming through the Prisoner Transport Center.
Uballez tied his answer on crime to both his desire and plans to address homelessness, as well as his history as a former U.S attorney. He also called for more prevention measures and “smart policing.”
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“I’m thinking about integrated units, such as the domestic violence unit, where people can go out to misdemeanor calls and even if a crime doesn’t occur, even if the cuffs don’t go on, we start intervening at that point to connect people and families with the services they need, not to spiral into violence,” Uballez said.
Varela shared his juvenile-focused crime plan that features a city-wide curfew preventing those younger than 18 from being out after 11 p.m. He also said he hopes to implement a plan to get high schoolers to join APD, which he calls the “police ROTC.”
“We have too many deadly encounters between juveniles and the regular citizens, and we got to get a hold of this, and we’re going to get a hold of it in a big way to include parent involvement. We’re not going to be having this anymore. You see it all the time in the paper, young people killing people,” Varela said.
The number of juveniles arrested has fallen sharply in the last 15 years, from 2,871 in 2010 to 351 this year, the lowest number was in 2021 with 274 arrests and there has been a slight increase since, according to the Bernalillo Youth Services Center.
Sanchez and Armijo both expressed an intention to end homeless encampments, stressing the negative impacts of these encampments on small businesses.
“I was watching somebody shoot up and use drugs as I came in here,” Sanchez said. “I ended up getting on the phone. I contacted the area commander, and they’re headed over here right now to take care of it. So that’s what I bring to the mayor’s office: immediate accountability.”
Keller touted his creation of the Gateway system — a program that provides access to case management, substance use treatment and other supportive services — as a way to provide care to people on the street, alongside his plans for 200 more units of housing and hundreds of more beds in the center.
Uballez advocated for a plan for homelessness that utilizes the Gateway Center and focuses on mental health, addiction treatment and transition into permanent housing.
Throughout both events, candidates criticized Keller directly or the work of his administration, with Keller defending his mayorship.
“I’m in the small business lending world. I get it. I have businesses where I cannot fund their loan at a lower rate because they can’t get a certificate of occupancy from the city. And here’s the kind of words I don’t appreciate: ‘We’re working on it. It’s getting better. We’ll get there. I need more time.’ That’s B.S,” Armijo said.
Uballez claimed a lack of transparency from the Keller administration, citing records request and investigation efforts he initiated with then-Inspector General Melissa Santistevan on the Gateway Projects.
Released reports included records of cancer-causing asbestos in the Gateway buildings and mismanagement of Covid funding. Uballez alleged that reports detailing abuse and fraud have gone unreleased. Beyond the logistics of the Gateway projects, Uballez questioned their philosophy and effectiveness.
“You know what, Mayor, if you do win, we should make the election every single year, because it seems like that’s the only thing that gets you off your butt,” White said.
Keller responded to his opponents comments by saying he appreciated the humor, but said the jabs detracted from the real issues. He attempted to assert himself as the serious candidate needed for serious issues.
“This is not a student council race. These are tough times. You need a mayor who’s been tested,” Keller said.
Early and absentee voting begins on Tuesday, Oct. 7, with election day on Nov. 4. If no candidate reaches the 50% vote threshold to assume office, a runoff election will be held within 45 days of election day with the top two candidates.
Addison Fulton is the culture editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
Jaden McKelvey-Francis is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on X @jadenmckelvey
