Political Action Committees (PACs) spent more than $132,000 during the three-week runoff election sprint to influence Albuquerque’s three runoff races as early voting kicked off this week, with the mayor’s race drawing most of the outside money just days before voters decide the Dec. 9 contests. The mayoral race drew more than $101,000 in PAC […]
Category: Albuquerque
Posted inPolitics & Elections
Who is turning out to vote in the runoff? We checked the numbers
With just four days of early voting left before Election Day 2.0, about 32,000 Albuquerque voters have cast ballots in the city’s Dec. 9 runoff election, with Democrats turning out at significantly higher rates than Republicans. Of the 31,926 ballots cast by late afternoon Tuesday, 18,132 came from early voting sites and 13,794 were absentee […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
Dead grass, weeds and a $2 million fix: Will your park get a turf upgrade?
The Duke City’s nearly 300 parks will get up to $2 million for emergency turf repairs after the City Council voted 8-1 on Monday to use leftover money from last year’s budget. The measure, R-25-183, sponsored by Councilor Dan Lewis, passed after two delays since August, while councilors and the administration debated whether dying turf […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
The Tumbleweed Snowman is 30 years old. See how he’s changed since 1995
OK, Albuquerque, do you know what today is? Yes, it’s #GivingTuesday (an important day in a nonprofit newsroom) but it’s also Tumbleweed Tuesday, the day the Tumbleweed Snowman claims his holiday perch alongside the busy westbound lanes of I-40 next to the AMAFCA offices near the “Big I.” This year is also the icon’s 30-year […]
Posted inPolitics & Elections
Uballez urges votes for Keller, sort of
When Alex Uballez lost his bid for mayor in Nov., he quickly endorsed candidates in two of the city’s three runoff elections, both for Westside council seats, scheduled a month later — but not for mayor. That changed, sort of, this past weekend when Uballez penned a lukewarm endorsement of his former rival in the […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
Who is giving the homeless “I ♥ Tim Keller” hoodies?
Albuquerque social media accounts have been filling up with photos of homeless persons in the International District sporting bright yellow hoodies printed with “I ♥ Tim Keller” in large letters across the front, but no one is taking responsibility for the stunt. Photos were first shared with City Desk on Wednesday of persons wearing the […]
Posted inAlbuquerque
Former Mayor David Rusk, 85, champion of transit, Downtown, passes away
David Rusk, the former mayor of Albuquerque known for his contributions to the city’s arts and public transit, has passed away at the age of 85. Rusk, who served as Albuquerque’s mayor from 1977 to 1981, was instrumental in the renovation of the KiMo Theater and was a strong advocate for smart and inclusive growth, […]
Posted inLocal Gov.
‘Alarm bells of the highest order’: APD chief’s testimony reveals years of deleted police texts to avoid public records
Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina testified under oath in a lawsuit that he routinely deletes text messages about official business, a practice legal experts said violates a state law that requires government agencies to keep communications for at least one year. In an October whistleblower case, Medina said he and other high-ranking APD officials have […]
Posted inPolitics & Elections
Outside groups spent over $1 million to influence ABQ’s elections in 2025
In the months before a federal judge struck down part of the city’s election transparency laws last week, outside groups had already spent more than one million dollars to influence Albuquerque elections in 2025. A City Desk analysis of city campaign finance data shows that Albuquerque’s 2025 local elections were among the most expensive in […]
Posted inPolitics & Elections
Who’s funding Albuquerque’s runoff campaigns? Voters may never know
A federal judge this week struck down Albuquerque’s donor disclosure rules for advocacy groups that spend money in city elections, opening the door for thousands or even millions of dollars in anonymous cash to flood the Dec. 9 runoff with early voting starting in 10 days. U.S. District Judge James Browning ruled Wednesday that Albuquerque’s […]