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. The elections, alongside the federal legislative election, were one of the most violent in the country's history, with 91 candidates assassinated prior to election day.[2]
In the gubernatorial elections, Juntos Hacemos Historia achieved remarkable success, securing twelve out of the fifteen governorships, flipping eleven, while Va por México was only able to successfully defend two of their thirteen seats.[3] The Institutional Revolutionary Party suffered the biggest loss, losing all of its seats up for election to Juntos Haremos Historia, marking the end of the party's state level dominance in Mexican politics.
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,[2] 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 sought 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][3]
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. It consists of two chambers: the Senate of the Republic and the Chamber of Deputies. Its 628 members meet in Mexico City.
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The Federal Government of Mexico is the national government of the United Mexican States, the central government established by its constitution to share sovereignty over the republic with the governments of the 31 individual Mexican states, and to represent such governments before international bodies such as the United Nations.
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