Guest post by Adrian Beaumont, who joins us from time to time to provide commentary on elections internationally. Adrian’s work on electoral matters for The Conversation can be found here, and his own website is here.
Mexico will hold legislative and presidential elections on Sunday, July 1, with the president to be elected for a six-year term beginning December 1. Unlike many other countries that use runoffs for presidential elections where no candidate wins a first=round majority, Mexico uses first=past-the=post. Polls will close at 10am on Monday Australian eastern standard time, and vote count reporting will start at noon. Unless the result is very close, the presidential winner will be declared at 3pm Monday Melbourne time.
The left-wing candidate, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who is known by the initials of his four names (AMLO), recorded over 50% support among decided voters in three final polls published Wednesday. AMLO’s lead over his closest rival was at least twenty points. The two other major candidates are Ricardo Anaya, who leads a right-left coalition, and José Antonio Meade, the candidate of the current governing Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Most polls have Anaya in second place, but a long way behind AMLO.
At the 2006 and 2012 Mexican elections, AMLO was the runner-up, losing by 0.6% in 2006 and 6.6% in 2012. The PRI had dominated Mexican elections in the twentieth century, until they were defeated in 2000 by Vicente Fox of Alliance for Change (PAN). If AMLO wins over 50% of the vote, it will be the first time a candidate has won a majority since 1988.
AMLO’s lead has been attributed to chronic violent crime and corruption, but Donald Trump is likely also a factor. From the moment he announced his presidential run, Trump’s malice towards Mexicans and non-white US immigrants has been clear. While all the major party candidates oppose Trump, AMLO is ideologically the most anti-Trump candidate, which has assisted him.
Three hundred of the 500 members of the lower house are elected by first-past-the=post, and the remainder by proportional representation. Ninety-six of the 128 Senators are elected in thirty-two three-member electorates based on the states; in these electorates, the winning party wins two seats, and the runner-up one. The remaining thirty-two Senators are elected by proportional representation. AMLO’s MORENA party is also expected to do well in the legislative elections.
This is a fantastic post, great insight and I look forward to the outcomes.
I am keen on hearing the results too.
I was in Mexico in 1999 for Green party conference and have followed the results since…
Thanks for your comments. I had become a bit despondent with no comments after almost two days.
AMLO is on track for a landslide win.
https://www.google.com.au/search?q=mexican+election&rlz=1C1CHFX_enAU672AU672&oq=Mexican+ele&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j69i60j0j69i60j69i61j0.7604j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Thanks for post Adrian. Result will be fascinating for Trump response etc.
Not sure where ABC News is getting its report “Leftist outsider Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has convincingly won Mexico’s presidential election, exit polls show, setting the stage for a government that will inherit tense relations with Washington and the scrutiny of nervous investors.” But considering AMLO has been runner-up in last 2 elections that doesn’t sound like an “outsider”. And you have to wonder which “nervous investors” rate a priority mention.
Just to add a post of encouragement. I appreciated the post, but had no knowledged myself. But I was promoted to find out a bit more, and look out for the results.
Indeed a follow up post re the results and implications would be truely appreciated!!!
So please maintain this sort of post if possible: at least for me, no response reflects ignorance, not disinterest.
Here’s the official Mexican count. Still only 45% of precincts reporting, with AMLO on 53.7%, 31 points ahead of his nearest rival.
https://p2018.ine.mx/#/presidencia/nacional/1/1/1/1
Mexican election: landslide for the left
http://adrianbeaumont.net/mexican-election-landslide-for-the-left/
I’ve written a detailed report on the July 1 Mexican election at my personal website, following my preview for The Poll Bludger.
The left-wing Presidential candidate, AMLO, won 53.2% of the vote, with his nearest rival on just 22.3%. AMLO’s coalition won majorities in both chambers of the legislature. Although AMLO’s coalition includes an evangelical party, his MORENA party and the Labor party will have a majority of seats in both chambers without needing the evangelical party.