International IDEA, Strömsborg, 103 34 Stockholm, Sweden Phone +46-8-698 37 00, Fax: +46-8-20 24 22 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.idea.int The Mexican political system Mexico has a presidential system with strong and independent legislative, executive and judicial branches. The president is elected by plurality vote for a six-year term and, unlike other Latin America systems, there is no second round. The Chamber of Deputies has 500 members, elected for a three-year term; 300 elected by simple majority in single-member districts, and 200 elected by proportional representation in five 40-member regional districts. The Senate has 128 members, elected for a six-year term. Each state elects three senators, and in addition 32 are elected by proportional representation on a single nation list. Re-election for consecutive terms in prohibited for all federal deputies and senators. Legislators can be elected to the other chamber when their term expires, and they can be re-elected to the same chamber after sitting out a term. Parties may form total or partial coalitions for electoral purposes, running the same candidate in some districts or sharing proportional representation lists. If parties form a coalition to elect the president, then they must form a coalition for all the Chamber of Deputies and Senate contests as well. Mexico is a federation integrated by 31 States and a Federal District. Each State elects its own governor and legislature; municipal authorities are chosen at the local level. The election dates are established by State legislation. Ten State and local elections take place on the same date as the federal election: in the States of Guanajuato, Jalisco, and Morelos for Governors, State legislatures, and municipal authorities; in the Federal District (Mexico City) for the Chief of Government, the members of the Legislative Assembly and the Chiefs of Delegations (local authorities); in the States of Campeche, Colima, Nuevo León, Querétaro, and Sonora for State legislatures and municipal authorities (but no Governors); in the State of San Luis Potosí members of the State legislature will be elected, and legislation has just been passed in order to also hold municipal elections on the same date.
The Mexican political system Mexico has a presidential system
with strong and independent legislative, executive and judicial
branches. The president is elected by plurality vote for a six-year
term and, unlike other Latin America systems, there is no second
round. The Chamber of Deputies has 500 members, elected for a
three-year term; 300 elected by simple majority in single-member
districts, and 200 elected by proportional representation in five
40-member regional districts. The Senate has 128 members, elected
for a six-year term. Each state elects three senators, and in
addition 32 are elected by proportional representation on a single
nation list. Re-election for consecutive terms in prohibited for
all federal deputies and senators. Legislators can be elected to
the other chamber when their term expires, and they can be
re-elected to the same chamber after sitting out a term. Parties
may form total or partial coalitions for electoral purposes,
running the same candidate in some districts or sharing
proportional representation lists. If parties form a coalition to
elect the president, then they must form a coalition for all the
Chamber of Deputies and Senate contests as well. Mexico is a
federation integrated by 31 States and a Federal District. Each
State elects its own governor and legislature; municipal
authorities are chosen at the local level. The election dates are
established by State legislation. Ten State and local elections
take place on the same date as the federal election: in the States
of Guanajuato, Jalisco, and Morelos for Governors, State
legislatures, and municipal authorities; in the Federal District
(Mexico City) for the Chief of Government, the members of the
Legislative Assembly and the Chiefs of Delegations (local
authorities); in the States of Campeche, Colima, Nuevo Len,
Quertaro, and Sonora for State legislatures and municipal
authorities (but no Governors); in the State of San Luis Potos
members of the State legislature will be elected, and legislation
has just been passed in order to also hold municipal elections on
the same date.
