Women now hold the majority of Albuquerque City Council seats as Peña takes presidency

A month after nearly losing her Albuquerque City Council seat, Klarissa Peña is back at the helm.

The council elected Peña president in a 5-4 vote over Joaquín Baca. The same five councilors — Peña, Dan Champine, Renée Grout, Dan Lewis and outgoing President Brook Bassan — voted to install the new leadership. In separate 5-4 votes, the council chose Champine vice president and reelected Grout to chair the Committee of the Whole, which oversees the city’s $1.5 billion budget.

“I am deeply honored by the trust my colleagues have placed in me to lead the 27th City Council,” Peña said. “As we begin this new year, my focus remains on fostering collaboration across all districts to address our city’s most pressing challenges. Together, we will work toward a safer, more equitable and prosperous Albuquerque for every resident.”

Peña is the council’s longest-serving member and is in her fourth term representing southwest Albuquerque’s District 3. First elected in 2013, she narrowly won a December runoff, beating challenger Teresa Garcia by 69 votes. She previously served as council president in 2019, vice president in 2016 and 2025 and chaired the Committee of the Whole in 2024. 

“Congratulations to new City Council President Klarissa Peña, who has a long record of standing up for Albuquerque families and working for her district,” Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement. “I look forward to working together to get things done for the City. I also want to congratulate new Vice President Dan Champine and Renée Grout for her election to lead the Committee of the Whole.”

The council president wields significant power, from setting the agenda to assigning bills and appointing committee members. The role also runs meetings and shapes council priorities through committee assignments.

The council president will select standing committee assignments, with the full council set to approve them at its next meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 21. The meeting falls on a Wednesday because Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Peña broke with tradition and did not take the gavel, allowing Bassan to preside. She will assume the role at the next council meeting. She thanked Bassan, saying, “Thank you for all your work this past year. I think you’ve done an incredible job and it’s going to be some hard shoes to fill.”

Champine represents District 8 in the Northeast Heights and was elected in 2023. He is a retired Albuquerque police officer. 

Grout, who served as vice president in 2023 and 2024, was named chair of the Committee of the Whole for the second year in a row. The committee includes all nine councilors and oversees the city budget and capital improvements program.

“The City’s budget is a reflection of our priorities, and I am honored to lead the Committee of the Whole as we navigate the upcoming fiscal year,” Grout said in a statement. “My goal is to ensure that every taxpayer dollar is used responsibly and effectively to improve our infrastructure, public safety and quality of life.”

The chair works with the mayor’s office to review priorities before the annual budget is drafted and leads the council’s budget review.

The leadership changes also mark a milestone for the city. Women now hold six of the council’s nine seats for the first time, including Stephanie Telles, Bassan, Peña, Nichole Rogers, Tammy Fiebelkorn and Grout.