Understanding the Upcoming Judicial Election Process
On June 1, 2025, an extraordinary electoral process for the Federal Judicial Power will take place, a result of the September 2024 Reform to the Judicial Power. Organized by the National Electoral Institute (INE), this election will be held from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, during which we will vote for judicial positions through popular suffrage. To help you understand the process, the INE has created a microsite that you can access by clicking here. Below are the 10 most important questions and answers regarding this first judicial election in the country.
2. How many ballots will you receive?
You will receive six ballots. However, if your state participates in the Extraordinary Local Electoral Processes for the renewal of Local Judicial Power, you will also receive those ballots. All ballots must include:
- A numbered stub
- The electoral process you are participating in
- The position to be filled
- The federal entity
- The electoral district
In some cases, you may also see the circuit, judicial circuit, or judicial district, as well as the numbers of positions and specialties to choose from, the names of the candidates, and their full names.
3. Which states participate in the Extraordinary Local Electoral Processes for the renewal of Local Judicial Power in 2025?
As a result of harmonizing the Electoral Reform with the federal entities, there will also be local electoral processes in 19 states: Aguascalientes, Baja California, Chihuahua, Ciudad de México, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Estado de México, Michoacán, Nayarit, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatán, and Zacatecas.
4. How do I vote?
In the numbered boxes, you must write the last two digits of the candidate numbers for whom you are voting. Women’s candidates will be on the left, and men’s on the right.
5. What activities are allowed for judicial election candidates?
- Distributing printed propaganda.
- Attending forums, interviews, and debates.
- Distributing propaganda on social networks.
- Informing about their professional experience.
- Explaining how to identify a candidate on the ballot.
- Conducting tours and attending to the general public at their residence.
6. What are the activities that judicial election candidates cannot do during their campaigns?
- Purchasing radio or television advertisements for self-promotion.
- Paying for advertising in media or publicity.
- Campaigning before the legal deadline.
- Spreading propaganda with calumnies or false accusations.
- Using propaganda that affects or exposes minors.
- Offering or giving gifts, money, or benefits in any form.
- Printing propaganda on materials other than paper.
- Using non-recyclable, toxic substances for their propaganda.
- Campaigning in the three days before the election, nor on the day of voting.
- Publishing polls or opinion surveys in the three days before the election.
- Paying companies or individuals to create and distribute polls.
- Campaigning abroad, nor allowing others to do so on their behalf.
- Committing political gender violence in any form, including attacks, threats, or actions that limit women’s political rights.
- Using propaganda that directly links them to a political party.
7. What are the mechanisms of citizen participation?
These are various mechanisms for citizens to engage personally or through civil organizations in the activities carried out by the INE, such as promoting citizen participation and electoral observation. Foreign visitors can also participate if they are from other countries.
8. How can I become an electoral observer?
You must be Mexican and meet the requirements established in the Law and the corresponding call. If you wish to register, click here; you have until May 7 to do so.
9. What is Absentee Voting and who can vote this way?
The INE has implemented this option for individuals unable to attend the polling station on election day, which also applies to primary caregivers of these individuals.
10. When and how will the tallies be conducted for this electoral process?
Tallies will be conducted in the District Councils from June 1 to 10, as the maximum time limit is 10 days. In the federal entities, tallies will be conducted in each state’s Local Council on June 12, as well as in the corresponding Regional Chambers of the Federal Electoral Court. The INE’s General Council will present the total sum on June 15, 2025.
Key Questions and Answers
- Q: How many ballots will I receive? A: You will receive six ballots. If your state participates in the Extraordinary Local Electoral Processes for the renewal of Local Judicial Power, you will also receive those ballots.
- Q: Which states participate in the Extraordinary Local Electoral Processes for the renewal of Local Judicial Power in 2025? A: The states are Aguascalientes, Baja California, Chihuahua, Ciudad de México, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Estado de México, Michoacán, Nayarit, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Yucatán, and Zacatecas.
- Q: How do I vote? A: In the numbered boxes, write the last two digits of the candidate numbers for whom you are voting. Women’s candidates will be on the left, and men’s on the right.
- Q: What activities are allowed for judicial election candidates? A: Candidates can distribute printed propaganda, attend forums and debates, use social networks for propaganda, inform about their professional experience, and explain how to identify candidates on the ballot. They can also conduct tours and engage with the public at their residence.
- Q: What are the activities that judicial election candidates cannot do during their campaigns? A: Candidates cannot purchase radio or television advertisements for self-promotion, pay for advertising in media or publicity, campaign before the legal deadline, spread propaganda with calumnies or false accusations, use propaganda that affects minors, offer gifts or money, print propaganda on non-paper materials, use toxic substances for propaganda, campaign in the three days before the election, publish polls in the three days before the election, pay for polls, campaign abroad, commit political gender violence, or use propaganda linking them directly to a political party.
- Q: What are the mechanisms of citizen participation? A: These include promoting citizen participation and electoral observation, either personally or through civil organizations. Foreign visitors can also engage in these activities.
- Q: How can I become an electoral observer? A: You must be Mexican and meet the requirements set by the Law and the corresponding call. Register by clicking here by May 7.
- Q: What is Absentee Voting and who can vote this way? A: Absentee Voting is for individuals unable to attend the polling station on election day, including their primary caregivers.
- Q: When and how will the tallies be conducted for this electoral process? A: Tallies will be conducted in the District Councils from June 1 to 10, with a maximum time limit of 10 days. In the federal entities, tallies will be conducted in each state’s Local Council on June 12 and in the corresponding Regional Chambers of the Federal Electoral Court. The INE’s General Council will present the total sum on June 15, 2025.
