As the historic Mexican elections approach on June 2, nearly 100 million Mexicans, including around 12 million living abroad, are preparing to cast their ballots and probably elect the first female president in the country's history.
Former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, representing a coalition that includes the ruling Morena party, and former Sen. Xochitl Galvez, running as part of a coalition that includes the National Action Party (PAN) are the two favored candidates for the upcoming race. Mexicans will also vote to renew all 500 deputies for the lower chamber of Congress and the 128 members of the Senate.
The National Electoral Institute, the autonomous body in charge of elections, is calling this contest "the largest that Mexico has ever had," The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. So much so, that it is the first time in which Mexico will allow residents living abroad to vote in person.
States like California, for instance, being the state with the largest Hispanic and Latino population in the U.S., will likely be a territory with increased voting activity ahead of the country's election. However, in order to vote, citizens living abroad must first follow a series of steps. Here's what you should know:
Who can vote abroad?
Mexicans who are 18 years old and order, have a valid voting ID and are registered to participate in the process can vote. All eligible citizens are required to have a valid voting ID, often simply called an "I.N.E." which are the initials of the National Electoral Institute, Mexico's voting authority.
How to vote abroad
This year, people outside the country can vote in one of three ways:
- Mail-in ballot
- Electronic voting
- In-person voting in four select countries: Canada, France, Spain and the United States
As of Feb. 8, nearly 1.5 million people were registered to vote abroad and 630,513 had the proper identification to participate in the process, according to The New York Times.
Where to vote in person in California?
There will be 20 voting stations in consulates across the country, a large part of which are located in California. Here are the cities in the The Golden State where you can cast a ballot in person:
- Fresno
- Los Angeles
- Sacramento
- San Bernardino
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Santa Ana
Those who have a valid credential but did not register to vote abroad or who are visiting the U.S. on the day of the election will be able to do so at the consulate. For that purpose, additional ballots will be available for the first 1,500 voters, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
For more information on how to vote in each specific city, you can visit the Mexican Consulate website here.
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