Description of Electoral System

(Courtesy of the Federal Electoral Institute of Mexico)

Mexico is a representative, democratic republic conformed by thirty-two autonomous states (thirty-one states and one Federal District) regarding its internal government regime. The government system is presidential. Both the federation and each of the thirty-two states adjust to the traditional model for the division of powers and separation of functions divided into Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branch.

The Executive Branch of the Union is conformed by one representative, the President, who is elected by direct election and universal suffrage of all citizens to serve for a period of six years. Under no circumstance the President may be re-elected. In the thirty-one states the Executive is vested upon the Governors, and in the Federal District, on the Chief of Government. They also serve a six-year term and may not be re-elected.

The Legislative Branch of the Federation is vested upon the Union Congress, formed by a Lower Chamber (Cámara de Diputados) of 500 members -300 members are elected by direct popular vote and 200 members are allocated through a party-list proportional representation system- and an Upper Chamber (Cámara de Senadores) conformed by 128 members -96 members are elected by popular vote and 32 members are allocated by proportional representation. The Legislative Branch of the thirty-two states is single chambered. It is called Local Congress in the thirty-one states and Legislative Assembly in the Federal District. All legislatives serve for a period of three years except those of the Upper Chamber who serve for six years.

The Judicial Branch of the federation is vested upon the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, made up by eleven ministers elected by the vote of two thirds of the Upper Chamber members, based on a list put forward by the President of the Republic. The Judicial Branch of each one of the thirty-two states is vested upon their corresponding Supreme Court of Justice.

Electoral Systems Snapshot

(Courtesy of Interntional IDEA)

*Click on link for definition

WANT MORE ELECTION-RELATED STATS FOR MEXICO? Go to "external databases" OR "comparative data" on the left-hand menu of this page and choose your area of interest.

Politics of Mexico

(Courtesy of the Federal Electoral Institute of Mexico)

Mexico is a Federal State composed by thirty-two states: thirty-one states and the Federal District (Mexico City), the later being the seat of the Federal Branches. The government system is presidential. Both the power of the Federation and that of the thirty-two states are based on the principle of division of powers among the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches.

The Federal Executive power rests upon the President of the United Mexican States, in each one of the thirty-one states upon the Governor for each entity and in the Chief of Government for the Federal District. All of them are elected every six years and may not be re-elected.

The Federal Legislative Branch is vested upon the Union Congress, which is divided into an Upper and a Lower Chamber. The Legislative Branch of the thirty-two states is single-chambered; those belonging to the thirty-one states are called local congresses and the one for the Federal District is called Legislative Assembly. All legislators are elected for a three-year period, except the members of the Upper Chamber who serve a six-year period.

The Judicial Branch of the federation is vested upon the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, made up of eleven ministers elected by the vote of two thirds of the Upper Chamber members, put forward by the President, to serve fifteen-year terms. The Judicial Branch of the thirty-two states is vested upon their respective Supreme Court of Justice.

The Constitution establishes that all the states of the federation must adopt the municipality as the basis for the territorial, political, and administrative division. A municipal Town Hall, elected through public and direct voting, administers each of the 2,441 municipalities into which the country is divided. Each municipal Town Hall is made up of a Municipal President and a varying number of officers and trustees.

The United Mexican States are a federal presidential representative democratic republic whose government is based on a congressional system, whereby the president of Mexico is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party electoral system. The federal government represents the United Mexican States and is divided into three branches: executive, legislative and judicial as established by the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, published in 1917. The constituent states of the federation must also have a republican form of government based on a congressional system as established by their respective constitutions.

Elections 2009

local congress and municipalities

Coahuila and Tabasco

October 18th

 

On Sunday October 18th the local congresses of Coahuila and Tabasco will be renewed along with the municipal representatives.

| LEGISLATIVE

On Sunday, July 5th elections in the Mexican Republic took place. All the members of the Chamber of Deputies were elected (300 by direct popular vote and 200 members allocated through a party-list proportional representation system).

The voter roll comprised 77'481,874 citizens who were in the possibility to elect the representatives of the 300 electoral districts of the country for that election. However, that figure will probably change, as the Federal Electoral Registry updates the roll regularly.

139,959 polling sites were installed, and there was a turnout of about 45%

The official results for each electoral district have been published. And for the local elections, results can be consulted at the website of each local electoral management body that had the resposibility for it.

| GOVERNORS, LOCAL CONGRESS AND MUNICIPALITIES

Campeche, Colima, Querétaro, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí and Sonora

| LOCAL CONGRESS AND MUNICIPALITIES

Distrito Federal, Estado de México, Guanajuato, Jalisco and Morelos

Recent elections 2008

STATE CONGRESS

On Sunday October 19th the state of Coahuila, north of the country, had elections for 31 local congressmen (20 by majority and 11 by proportional representation).

There was a low turnout, of only 40% of the 1.809,682 million registered citizens that could have cast their vote, at the 3,211 polling stations installed within the 20 electoral districts in which the 38 municipalities are divided.

Browse through the preliminary results. (in Spanish)

STATE CONGRESS AND MUNICIPALITIES

On Sunday October 5th the state of Guerrero, south of the country, held elections. 2.301,882 of the 2.268,717 million registered citizens could have cast their vote, although on 1.073,737 did, which means a turnout of 50.16%

At the 4,670 polling stations that were installed through the 81 municipalities comprised in the 28 electoral disctricts of the state, 46 local congressmen (28 by majority and 18 by proportional representation) and 81 authorities.

We provide you with links for more information on the preliminary results as well as news on the electoral process. (in Spanish)

STATE CONGRESS AND MUNICIPALITIES

On Sunday July 6th the state of Nayarit, west of the country, had elections. Through them the citizens were able to choose those who would take office as: 20 mayors, 30 local congressmen (18 by majority and 12 by proportional representation) and 138 Councillors.

1,220 polling stations were installed, that is about 95% of the ones that have been scheduled. As of July 7th 289,410 votes had been counted, and only 8,049 were not valid.

You can browse through the preliminary results, and some relevant news of the electoral process. (in Spanish)

Recent events

First Inter American Electoral Seminar

The Organization for American States (OAS), the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE), the Latin-American School of Social Sciences (FLACSO) and International IDEA organised the First Inter American Electoral Seminar, that took place on November 17th-21st in Mexico City.

You can get in touch with the Centre through our e-mail or phone us at:

+52 (55) 5449-0446

+52 (55) 5449-0450

To send a fax:

+52 (55) 5449-0448

+52 (55) 5449-0457