The 2021 Mexican local elections, held on June 6, 2021, saw voters electing fifteen governors for six-year terms, deputies for thirty state congresses, and officials for 1,910 municipalities.[1] These elections took place concurrently with the country's federal legislative election.
In the lead-up to the election, two prominent electoral alliances were formed: Juntos Hacemos Historia, a left-wing coalition consisting of Morena, the Labor Party and the Ecologist Green Party of Mexico, and Va por México, a big-tent featuring the National Action Party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party and the Party of the Democratic Revolution. Juntos Hacemos Historia achieved remarkable success in the gubernatorial elections, securing twelve out of the fifteen governorships, flipping eleven. In contrast, Va por México only won two races, with the Institutional Revolutionary Party facing electoral defeat, as it was not able to hold any of the eight governorships it held prior to the election.[2]
The elections, alongside the federal legislative elections, were one of the most violent in the country's history, with 91 candidates assassinated prior to the elections.[3] Additionally, during election day, instances of violence were reported at various polling stations, including armed assaults that either temporarily halted voting or led to the closure of polling stations.
Background
Prior to the campaigning period, 25 state governors signed an agreement with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, which stated that they would maintain neutrality during the elections, uphold the people's free will, reject funding from organized crime, and abstain from utilizing official funds to back specific candidates or parties.[4]
Influence of organized crime
Several different criminal gangs implicated in drug trafficking, human trafficking, and fuel theft have a great deal of political influence in some states.[5] The Sinaloa Cartel exercises considerable control in the northwest while the Jalisco New Generation Cartel′s (CJNG) influence is in the west, including the states of Michoacan and Guerrero. The Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas are powerful in the northeast.[5]
In the past, drug cartels have influenced campaigns by supporting candidates and even running some of their own members or sympathizers as candidates for office,[5] such as Lucero Sánchez López, former federal deputy from Sinaloa who was also Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán′s lover.[6] Election-related violence is of particular concern in Michoacan, not only because of the aforementioned drug cartels but also because of armed community police who often act as vigilantes.[6]
Incidents
Political assassinations
During the campaigning period, 91 candidates were assassinated,[3] where 80% of the cases involved individuals who belonged to a party that did not control the state government.[7] The secretary of Security and Civilian Protection, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, promised to step up security and provide protection to candidates who received threats.[8]
The INE canceled the registration of 49 candidates affiliated with MORENA for failing to report expenses related to their pre-electoral campaigns, which affected two gubernatorial, 25 federal deputies, six local deputies, twelve municipal presidents, and four borough president candidates. Two candidates for federal deputy and one for governor of Michoacan from the Michoacán a Redes Sociales Progresistas were also withdrawn. The party was fined MXN $6,714,893.30. Fines were also imposed on PRD (MXN $409,031), MC ($227,886), independents ($182,361), PES ($98,782), Redes Sociales Progresistas ($85,229), PAN ($26,845), and PVEM ($1,476).[10]
The FGR (Federal Elections Prosecutor) is investigating about 80 complaints about Internet celebrities (Spanish: influencers) who illegally used social media to sway votes toward the PVEM.[11]
The INE said that 300 polling places could not be installed in Chiapas, Michoacán or Oaxaca due to social conditions that make voting dangerous or impossible.[12]
Election day violence
Daniel Serrano, candidate (MORENA) for municipal president in Cuautitlán Izcalli, complained about vote buying on election day.[13] The Instituto Electoral del Estado de México (IEEM) says that irregularities and violence on election day in Nextlalpan, State of Mexico, make it impossible to give a preliminary vote count (PREP), it may be necessary to hold another election. PRI says that vandals entered the candidate's house and burned it, in addition to sexually assaulting the candidate, and they destroyed voting material. MORENA says the allegation are false.[14]
All 27 seats of the Congress of Aguascalientes were up for election, where 18 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 9 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 11 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 25 seats of the Congress of Baja California were up for election, where 17 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 8 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 5 municipalities were up for election.[1] Nearly all the members of the state congress were seeking reelection, except five, which seeked other positions in the government.[19]
All 21 seats of the Congress of Baja California Sur were up for election, where 16 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 5 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 5 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 35 seats of the Congress of Campeche were up for election, where 21 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 14 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 13 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 40 seats of the Congress of Chiapas were up for election, where 24 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 16 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 124 municipalities were up for election.[1]
Comitán – Constantino Kánter (MORENA), former mayor of Comitán (PRI, 2005–2007). Kanter is known for supporting ranchers and landowners against indigenous rights and against the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) during the 1994 uprising.[22]
Chihuahua
All 33 seats of the Congress of Chihuahua were up for election, where 22 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 11 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 67 municipalities were up for election.[1]
Before the elections, on March 4, 2021, Yuriel Armando González Lara, mayoral candidate for Nuevo Casas Grandes, was assassinated.[23]
All positions of the state's 38 municipalities were up for election.[1]
Colima
All 25 seats of the Congress of Colima were up for election, where 16 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 9 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 10 municipalities were up for election.[1][2]
All 25 seats of the Congress of Durango were up for election, where 15 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 10 through proportional representation.[1]
All 36 seats of the Congress of Guanajuato were up for election, where 22 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 14 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 46 municipalities were up for election.[1]
On March 31, 2021, Alejandro Galicia Juárez, candidate for regidor of Apaseo el Grande, was assassinated.[25]
León – Ricardo Sheffield (MORENA), former mayor of León (PAN 2009–2012) and gubernatorial candidate in 2018[24]
Guerrero
All 46 seats of the Congress of Guerrero were up for election, where 28 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 18 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 80 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 30 seats of the Congress of Hidalgo were up for election, where 18 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 12 through proportional representation. Additionally, there were special municipal elections for Acaxochitlán and Ixmiquilpan[1]
All 38 seats of the Congress of Jalisco were up for election, where 20 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 18 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 125 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 40 seats of the Congress of Michoacán were up for election, where 24 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 16 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 112 municipalities were up for election.[1]
Organized crime and indigenous groups blocked the installion of 100 of the 6,251 polling places in the state.[28]
All 66 seats of the Congress of Mexico City were up for election, where 33 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 33 through proportional representation. Additionally, the entity's 16 borough mayors were up for election.[1]
All 75 seats of the Congress of the State of Mexico were up for election, where 45 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 30 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 125 municipalities were up for election.[1]
On election day, several municipalities reported irregularities and violence.[31] In Amecameca, two people were injured in a shooting incidenty that interrupted voting.[15] In Metepec, twenty men destroyed a polling place.[16] In Naucalpan, a fake grenade briefly caused panic.[17] In Valle de Chalco, two polling stations were attacked by armed gunmen, causing their early closure.[18]
Tepotzotlán: Ángeles Zuppa Villegas (MC), daughter of three-time mayor Ángel Zuppa Núñez.[32]
Morelos
All 20 seats of the Congress of Morelos were up for election, where 12 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 8 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 33 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 30 seats of the Congress of Nayarit were up for election, where 18 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 12 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 20 municipalities were up for election.[1]
The National Electoral Institute (INE) warned that Governor Antonio Echevarria was evading his responsibilities, claiming that he lied about the state not having MXN $200 million needed to organize the elections.[24]
All 42 seats of the Congress of Nuevo León were up for election, where 26 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 16 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 51 municipalities were up for election.[1]
Mayco Fabián Tapia Quiñones, state deputy candidate, was murdered on March 24, 2021.[33]
All 42 seats of the Congress of Oaxaca were up for election, where 25 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 17 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 153 municipalities were up for election.[1]
Polling places could not be installed due to social-political conflicts in seven communities. Additionally, 800 ballots were stolen in “El Ocote” y San José Llano Grande, Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz.[36]
All 41 seats of the Congress of Puebla were up for election, where 26 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 15 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 217 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 25 seats of the Legislature of Querétaro were up for election, where 15 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 10 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 18 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 27 seats of the Congress of San Luis Potosí were up for election, where 15 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 12 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 58 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 40 seats of the Congress of Sinaloa were up for election, where 24 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 16 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 18 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 33 seats of the Congress of Sonora were up for election, where 21 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 12 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 72 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 35 seats of the Congress of Tabasco were up for election, where 21 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 14 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 17 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 36 seats of the Congress of Tamaulipas were up for election, where 22 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 14 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 43 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 25 seats of the Congress of Tlaxcala were up for election, where 15 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 10 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 60 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 50 seats of the Congress of Veracruz were up for election, where 30 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 20 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 212 municipalities were up for election.[1]
On March 4, 2021, Melquiades Vázquez Lucas, mayoral candidate for La Perla, was assassinated.[43]
All 25 seats of the Congress of Yucatan were up for election, where 15 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 10 through proportional representation. Additionally, all positions of the state's 106 municipalities were up for election.[1]
All 30 seats of the Congress of Zacatacas were up for election, where 18 were elected through first-past-the-post voting and 12 through proportional representation. Additionally, the governorship and all positions of the state's 58 municipalities were up for election.[1]
The politics of Mexico function within a framework of a federal presidential representative democratic republic whose government is based on a multi-party congressional system, where the President of Mexico is both head of state and head of government. 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.
The Congress of the Union, formally known as the General Congress of the United Mexican States, is the legislature of the federal government of Mexico consisting of two chambers: the Senate of the Republic and the Chamber of Deputies. Its 628 members meet in Mexico City.
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General elections were held in Mexico on 1 July 2018. Voters elected a new President of Mexico to serve a six-year term, 128 members of the Senate for a period of six years and 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies for a period of three years. It was one of the largest election days in Mexican history, with most of the nation's states holding state and local elections on the same day, including nine governorships, with over 3,400 positions subject to elections at all levels of government. It was the most violent campaign Mexico has experienced in recent history, with 130 political figures killed since September 2017.
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Legislative elections were held in Mexico on 6 June 2021. Voters elected 500 deputies to sit in the Chamber of Deputies for the 65th Congress. These elections took place concurrently with the country's state elections.
Events pertaining to 2021 in Mexican politics and government.
The 2022 Mexican local elections, held on June 5, 2022, saw voters electing six governors for a six-year term, deputies for one state congress, and officials for 39 municipalities.
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General elections are scheduled to be held in Mexico on 2 June 2024. Voters will elect a new president to serve a six-year term, all 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies and all 128 members of the Senate of the Republic. The members of the legislature elected on this date will be the first allowed to run for re-election in subsequent elections. These elections are taking place concurrently with the country's state elections.
Luis Javier Alegre Salazar was a Mexican businessman and politician. He served in the Chamber of Deputies from 2018 to 2021 as a member of Morena and representing the state of Quintana Roo. He also worked in the family radio business, which included XHNUC-FM "Radio Turquesa" and other stations.
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