Comments on: Fewer than 1 in 7 Mexicans voted in first-ever judicial elections

By: Dale Mattison

Dale Mattison — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 16:30:00 +0000

When you have judges that were being investigated for ties to the Cartels, money laundering, murder etc. It would be hard to vote for them in honesty. The government is corrupt, even they won’t admit it. Sad, it really is sad.

By: Jorge of the castle

Jorge of the castle — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 16:26:31 +0000

In reply to Daniel Houck.

I am glad that Mexico is trying to become a better democracy. This tme the effort was not thought out, but at least it was a beginning. Anything is better than allowing corruption to continue with corrupt representatives appointing their cronies. Bravo Mexico!

By: Jorge of the castle

Jorge of the castle — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 16:23:05 +0000

In reply to abq.mel@gmail.com.

I agree with you. Voting for judges in Arizona and in Mexico is too confusing to vote with any kind of awareness. I could not find information about the Mexican candidates not even where my poll was. INE must start educating the electorate several months before the election and especially make it easy where to vote. I would like to support this process but I could not this time.

By: diegomonlava@gmail.com

diegomonlava@gmail.com — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 03:10:41 +0000

In reply to Ellen Mass.

You are very well informed despite the critics who want to maintain the status quo corrupt judicial branch.

By: Daniel Houck

Daniel Houck — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 02:49:58 +0000

I don’t know how anyone could be surprised at this. I agree with abq.mel’s conclusion completely. This is the worst idea I have seen in 17 years living here. Hands down.

By: MND Staff

MND Staff — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 02:38:34 +0000

In reply to Steve Freeman.

Hello Steve,

Many people reportedly annulled their votes in protest. For example, a well-known political scientist, Denise Dresser, wrote “farsa” (farce) on a ballot paper.

There is more information about the deliberate annulment of votes in this El Universal article:

https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/nacion/acuden-a-las-urnas-para-anular-su-voto-en-la-eleccion-judicial-2025-hasta-encontrar-a-los-desaparecidos-escriben/

There were millions upon millions of invalid votes (remember voters had to fill out multiple ballot papers). There are more details about this in this Expansión Política article.

https://politica.expansion.mx/mexico/2025/06/02/votos-nulos-superan-a-los-obtenidos-por-las-dos-candidaturas-punteras-a-la-corte

Peter Davies

By: abq.mel@gmail.com

abq.mel@gmail.com — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 02:09:23 +0000

I voted for justices in the last State elections held in Arizona, USA.
Before the election, I did my best to inform myself as to the judicial qualifications of the electoral choices.
The best I could do after trying to discern who would make an “honest” judge, I gave up and instead relied on which governor had appointed the judge originally…if that information was disclosed, which often was not.
My conclusion…voting blindly for a judge is certainly not perfect, but it is also worse than having the justices appointed after some professional vetting by a commission which does have a degree of public transparency and accountability. I fear that Mexico will end up with a judiciary that is both even more political and corrupt than before.

By: stegowhite@gmail.com

stegowhite@gmail.com — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 01:42:16 +0000

Unfortunately, corruption in government is par for the course. It sucks, but it is how most things work and how many humans are wired at present. There are exceptions, but not enough to make a difference. But I am hopeful it can change, call me naive.
Only 30% of U.S. citizens voted for trump and look at that mess.
At least voting is allowed. People in other countries are dying for the right to vote. We should count ourselves lucky.

By: Steve Freeman

Steve Freeman — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 00:42:06 +0000

“Around 20% of all votes were invalid, either due to voters’ mistakes or because they chose to annul their ballots on purpose”.
Does this paper have any evidence to support this claim of annulling ballots on purpose? Does that mean for no reason?

By: Ellen Mass

Ellen Mass — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 00:10:11 +0000

A compliment to the people of Mexico that 13 million turned out in a country of many without a formal education; first time in the world (as has been stated in today’s journals) that 3 branches of government are elected by the people (23 US states elect judges). Twice as many turned out as voted for PAN and PRI during the last national election. Amazing turnout in a national experiment that bodes well for more in the future where people in all 31 states and Mexico City will decide whether inpunity will be given by local or federal judges to those who commit crime, or who corrupt Mexican institutions, and whether judiciary family appointed members (known as nepotism) will continue to make life and death decisions over citizens. The already elected 5 women and 4 men to the Supreme court (9 limit) indicate justice has a very good chance in Mexico today.