Sunday, November 17, 2024

When do Mexicans living abroad have to register to vote?

Mexican citizens living abroad who wish to vote in the national 2024 elections — the largest in Mexico’s history — must register on the National Electoral Institute’s (INE) online Foreign Vote platform before Feb. 20.

According to the INE, citizens can vote from abroad by mail, online or in person at approved consular offices. All who turn 18 years old in 2024 will also be able to vote. 

Federal, state and municipal elections are coming up this year. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)

The elections will take place on June 2 and in addition to the president, Mexican citizens will elect 128 senators, 500 federal deputies and many state and city representatives such as governors, local deputies, council members and mayors.

The states of Chiapas, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, Puebla, Tabasco, Veracruz and Yucatán will elect new governors, and Mexico City will also elect a new head of government.

Overall, over 19,000 government positions will be voted on by the electorate in June.

On Saturday, Feb. 10, the consulates of Mexico in the United States and Canada will hold an open office hours day to help voters register on the INE’s online platform. Voters must bring their valid Mexican voting credential.

For mail-in votes to be counted, the Postal Vote Envelope must arrive at the offices established by the electoral authority 24 hours before the start of Election Day, or by 8 a.m. Mexico City time on June 1.

Those who register to vote online will receive an email from the INE no later than May 3, 2024, with voting instructions, a username and information on how to access the Electronic Voting System for Mexicans living abroad. Voters can cast their online vote from May 18 to June 2, 2024. Those citizens who choose to vote in-person must attend any of the authorized consular offices on Election Day.

According to the INE, 1.48 million Mexican citizens living abroad have a Mexican voter ID card, and approximately 1.44 million live in the U.S.

Mexico’s 2024 presidential candidates representing the major parties have both made recent trips to the United States. The candidate of the ruling Morena party coalition, Claudia Sheinbaum, traveled to Los Angeles last year, and last week, Xóchitl Gálvez, the PAN-PRI-PRD coalition candidate, visited New York City and Washington, D.C. and met with Mexicans living there.

Mexico News Daily

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