The 2017 Albuquerque mayoral election was a

nonpartisan Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party. While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers sp ...

election, held on October 3 and November 14, 2017, to choose the next

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...

Richard J. Berry Richard James Berry (born November 5, 1962) is an American entrepreneur and politician who served as the 29th mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is also a former two term member of the New Mexico House of Representatives. Berry was sworn into ...

, the

incumbent The incumbent is the current holder of an official, office or position, usually in relation to an election. In an election for president, the incumbent is the person holding or acting in the office of president before the election, whether seek ...

mayor, did not seek reelection. This was the first mayoral election in Albuquerque without an incumbent candidate in twenty years. All candidates ran on the same ballot. No candidate reached 50% of the vote in the initial round held on October 3, and so a

runoff election The two-round system (TRS), also known as runoff voting, second ballot, or ballotage, is a voting method used to elect a single candidate, where voters cast a single vote for their preferred candidate. It generally ensures a majoritarian resul ...

was held November 14 between the top two finishers. The race was non-partisan (i.e., party affiliations do not appear on the ballot). However, "although the election is nonpartisan, a candidate’s political affiliation obviously can play a role in the campaign." In order to appear on the ballot, a candidate must collect 3,000 signatures from Albuquerque registered voters and submit them to the city clerk's office.Andy Lyman
Long list of potential ABQ mayoral candidates as signature deadline approaches
''NM Political Report'' (April 26, 2017). The maximum allowed campaign contribution that may be given to a candidate is $5,193 per person or company, which is 5% of the mayor's salary.Martin Salazar
Money already pouring into mayor's race
''Albuquerque Journal'' (April 18, 2017). Alongside the mayoral election, five seats of the city council were up for re-election. Incumbent councillors Ken Sanchez (District 1), Klarissa Peña (District 3), Diane G. Gibson (District 7) and Don Harris (District 9) were re-elected. In the 5th district, Cynthia Borrego, who ran as a Democrat, won the runoff against Robert Aragon, who ran as a Republican for state auditor in 2014. The 5th district seat was vacated by Dan Lewis, who ran for mayor.

Primary election

Candidates

Declared

* Ricardo Chaves ( Republican), founder of Parking Company of America *

Brian Colón Brian S. Colón is an American lawyer and politician who served as the New Mexico state auditor from 2019 to 2023. He is the former chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico. In 2010, he ran for and lost his bid for Lieutenant Governor of Ne ...

( Democratic), former chairman of the

Democratic Party of New Mexico The Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM) is the affiliate of the Democratic Party in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is headquartered in Albuquerque and led by Chair Jessica Velasquez, Vice Chair Manny Crespin, Secretary Pamelya Herndon, and Tr ...

* Michelle Garcia Holmes (

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

), former chief of staff for the

Attorney General's Office The Attorney General's Office (AGO) is a department of His Majesty's Government that supports the Attorney General and their deputy, the Solicitor General (together, the Law officers of the Crown in England and Wales). It is sometimes referred ...

, retired Albuquerque police detective * Wayne Johnson ( Republican), Bernalillo County Commissioner * Tim Keller ( Democratic),

State Auditor State auditors (also known as state comptrollers, state controllers, state examiners, or inspectors general) are fiscal officers lodged in the executive or legislative branches of U.S. state governments who serve as external auditors, financial ...

Dan McKay
State auditor announces bid for ABQ mayor
''Albuquerque Journal'' (January 11, 201). * Dan Lewis ( Republican), City Councilor * Augustus "Gus" Pedrotty ( Democratic),

University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico (UNM; es, Universidad de Nuevo México) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889, it is the state's flagship academic institution and the largest by enrollment, with over 25,400 ...

undergraduate student * Susan Wheeler-Deichsel (

), co-founder of civic group Urban ABQOlivier Uyttebrouck
Wheeler-Deichsel enters race for Albuquerque mayor
''Albuquerque Journal'' (February 17, 2017).

Did not qualify

* Eddy Aragon (

), conservative talk radio show host on KIVA 95.9 FM * Lamont Davis * Rachel Golden, movie theater worker * Stella Anne Padilla ( Democratic), retired

Old Town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...

resident

Withdrew

* Deanna Archuleta ( Democratic), former Bernalillo County

Commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to in ...

and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science in the Department of the InteriorMartin Salazar
9 of 16 mayoral candidates qualify for ballot
''Albuquerque Journal'' (April 28, 2017).Marie C. Baca

''Albuquerque Journal (May 26, 2017).'' * Elan Colello ( Democratic), CEO of a virtual reality company * Scott Madison ( Democratic),

Kirtland Air Force Base Kirtland Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located in the southeast quadrant of the Albuquerque, New Mexico urban area, adjacent to the Albuquerque International Sunport. The base was named for the early Army aviator Col. Roy ...

/ Sandia National Laboratories nuclear weapons program worker * Ian Page * Jacob Shull

Declined

( Republican), incumbent mayor * Pete Dinelli ( Democratic), former city councilor and local prosecutor, unsuccessful candidate for mayor in 2013 and 1989Marie C. Baca
Dinelli decides to skip mayor’s race
''Albuquerque Journal (February 1, 2017).'' * James Lewis ( Democratic), president of the Alumni Association of the University of New Mexico, former state treasurer

Results

Runoff election

Candidates

* Tim Keller,

* Dan Lewis, City Councilor

Polling

Results

References

{{2017 United States elections

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...

2017 New Mexico elections

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...