Tim Keller Sworn in for Historic Third Term as Mayor of Albuquerque
Nearly 1,000 join to celebrate historic City 2026 Inauguration Ceremony.
Today, Tim Keller was inaugurated into a historic consecutive third term as Albuquerque’s Mayor. Keller became Mayor in 2017, was re-elected in 2020, and again in 2025. He serves as the City’s 31st elected leader, and 8th under the current form of City government. Keller is the first Mayor to win three consecutive terms.
The inauguration ceremony was held at the Albuquerque Convention Center, with a crowd of about 1,000 in attendance. He was sworn in on his family bible, and was issued the Oath of Office by New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Shannon Bacon this afternoon.
“This time the voters grant us something unique, something so critical at this moment, a clear purpose to push forward, and a challenge to meet this moment and to rise to the occasion,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “Albuquerque, you kept us on the path forward in this election, now together we are going to keep building, keep responding, keep caring, keep pushing forward, and see us through to the city we know we can be.”
During his first two terms as Mayor, Keller’s administration followed through on transformative quality-of-life projects in the city, such as building the Gateway network of centers, shepherding the Albuquerque Police Department through historic public safety reform, increasing crimefighting technology, and creating the first alternative service to 911 with Albuquerque Community Safety.
“Underneath the surface, our election was about something deeper in this City and our country. It was about fear: fear of not making ends meet, of losing a family member, of being othered or disconnected. Yet we are here today, on this unprecedented occasion, not because of fear; but driven by trust and belief in each other, and the place we live, in Albuquerque itself,” Keller said. “Our journey has not been easy. We had to earn it, every step of the way. At City Hall, these have been some of our hardest years, we kept the city together during Covid, we stared down presidential efforts to divide us, we unified during the summer of social justice.”
Keller said the administration will continue its pursuit of quality-of-life projects to make Albuquerque a safer, more welcoming, place that fosters opportunity for people of all ages. He also highlighted how the administration is prioritizing economic development efforts, safer public spaces, and more community involvement.
“And for all of us, it means understanding that government shouldn’t slow us down and add to the price tag of everyday life. From the cost of food, to childcare, to housing, to activities for families; the City’s job is to help, to lighten the load; not to hinder, stall, or add to an already heavy burden,” Keller said. “This is why we are going through a powerful refresh at City Hall. We are going to have to make clear choices to prioritize crime, homelessness and placemaking. We are hiring new leadership and retaining the experience we need during these tough times.”
“Our vision for 2030 is a city that is safer, more affordable, and more livable — where growth does not mean displacement, and opportunity does not depend on zip code,” Keller added.
Mayor Keller was joined onstage today by his family, his parents, in-laws, and several cousins, all residents of Albuquerque. Keller, an Albuquerque native, was first elected to the New Mexico State Senate in 2008 at age 29 to represent the International District in Albuquerque, was elected to statewide office as State Auditor in 2014, and first elected Mayor of Albuquerque in 2017 at age 39.Albuquerque has had a variety of leadership titles over the last 319 years, including alcaldes, jefes politicos, mayors, military commanders, aldermen, and city commissioners. In 1821 under Mexican government, Albuquerque held its first election, naming Antonio Ruiz the first elected Alcalde.
In 1885, under United States government rule, Henry N. Jaffa became the first elected mayor, before transferring to a City Commission style government. Keller was sworn in to continue to serve as Albuquerque’s 31st elected mayor, 8th under the current form of mayoral government, and 82nd named leader since 1706.Full remarks by the Mayor are available by request or on GovTV.