Other newsrooms are covering less of City Hall. We're doubling down.

City Desk's in-depth coverage of City Hall is critical to holding our next mayor and a new council accountable for the solutions ABQ needs. Help us reach our $25,000 year-end goal to expand our work in 2026.

I'm not sure. Tell me more.

Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Sandoval County

Keller makes ABQ history: First mayor to win three consecutive terms

Mayor Tim Keller made history tonight, defeating former Sheriff Darren White to become the first Albuquerque mayor to win three straight four-year terms since the city adopted its current mayoral system in the mid-1970s. With all of the absentee and early votes cast, Keller emerged with an early 58%-41% lead according to unofficial results from […]

Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Sandoval County

Telles triumphs: Democrat secures firmer city council majority

By Sara Atencio-Gonzales  Democrat Stephanie Telles won the District 1 City Council runoff, giving Democrats a firmer majority on the nine-member council as she prepares to represent Albuquerque’s central Westside. Her victory preserves a Democratic voting bloc and concludes a competitive two-candidate runoff that followed a four-way race in November.  Early and absentee voting showed […]

Posted inLocal Gov., Sandoval County

A new arena? New housing? Gov unveils three possible plans for State Fairgrounds

Should the state fair grounds be home to a new arena? What about housing or a museum? All of those ideas made the cut when Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office unveiled three conceptual plans for redeveloping the Albuquerque Fairgrounds in the International District today. Stantec, a global design and engineering company hired by the state, […]

Posted inNew Mexico State Gov.

New Mexico energy secretary resigns

Melanie A. Kenderdine, A Sandia Park native, resigned Dec. 4 as secretary of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department for personal reasons, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced. Deputy Cabinet Secretary Erin Taylor will serve as acting secretary, according to the governor’s office. “Melanie brought national energy expertise to New Mexico, and I’m […]

Posted inEnergy, Sandoval County

Utility asks New Mexico for ‘zero emission’ status for gas-fired power plant

This article was originally published by Capital & Main. By Jerry Redfern The Southwestern Public Service Company has asked the state of New Mexico to grant exceptions to the state’s Energy Transition Act for two proposed gas-fired power plants, including one exception that would see approximately one-third of the energy produced at one plant qualify as a “zero-carbon […]

Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Sandoval County

Albuquerque voters face fewer polling places Tuesday—here’s what to know

With over 88,000 ballots already cast and voter interest picking up, Albuquerque voters will see fewer places to cast a ballot Tuesday. City council and mayoral runoff elections will have 50 polling locations, down from 74 in November, and election officials say they expect long lines. Democrats are turning out at higher rates, accounting for […]

Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Sandoval County

Outside groups dump over $100K into runoff elections, and still have lots more to spend

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 […]

Posted inHousing & Homelessness, Sandoval County

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 inHousing & Homelessness, Sandoval County

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 […]