Voters in Mexico participated in elections on Sunday to select nine members of the Supreme Court, along with over 2,600 judges and magistrates, marking a significant judicial overhaul in the country.
This election aims to shift the judiciary from an appointment-based system to one that allows citizens to elect judges, a move supported by the governing Morena party as a means to combat corruption and democratize the courts.
Despite widespread acknowledgment of issues within the justice system, the overhaul has faced criticism from opposition leaders and legal experts. They argue that it may grant excessive power to the Morena party over the judiciary and could lead to the election of candidates susceptible to influence from organized crime.
With more than 7,700 candidates vying for election, experts anticipated low voter turnout due to the ambitious nature of the election. Early reports indicated that polling stations across the country had relatively few voters.
In Tultitlán, a voter expressed hope that the election would help eliminate corruption, citing personal reasons related to her brothers' wrongful imprisonment. She arrived at the polling place with a list of candidates provided by Morena operatives.
This election will only fill about half of Mexico's judiciary, with the remaining judges to be elected in 2027. Voting utilized paper ballots, which require manual counting, and results for the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court, are expected to take several days to finalize.
In addition to the federal elections, 19 of Mexico's 32 states held local elections, resulting in a complex ballot process for voters. Some expressed confidence in their ability to navigate the numerous candidates, while others voiced concerns about the election's structure.
Many candidates faced challenges in raising awareness for their campaigns due to restrictions on advertising and public funding, which some argued favored wealthier candidates.
Concerns about candidate qualifications and potential ties to organized crime were voiced by some voters, who expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the proposed changes to the justice system.
The push for judicial reform began under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, particularly after the Supreme Court blocked several of his initiatives. His successor, Claudia Sheinbaum, has continued to advocate for these changes since taking office.
On the day of the election, López Obrador made a rare public appearance to vote, expressing his satisfaction with the democratic process in the country.