Thread: Mexico Launches Turn-Out-The-Vote Campaign—In America

Mexico Launches Turn-Out-The-Vote Campaign—In America



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March 11, 2024










Pawel Styrna

Senior Researcher









FAIR Take | March 2024




On June 2, 2024, the citizens of Mexico will go to the polls to elect their next president.

They will also be voting for Mexico’s lower chamber, the Senate, and self-government elections in 30 out of the country’s 32 states. But the Mexican government is interested in increasing voter turnout among Mexicans residing in the United States.

This includes Mexicans legally residing in the U.S., illegally residing, and even American citizens of Mexican ancestry.

Once registered, Mexicans will be able to vote by mail, in-person in four countries (the U.S., Canada, France, and Spain), and electronically.

Prior to the February 25 deadline to register to vote, Mexican officials had been actively encouraging Mexicans residing in the U.S. – including through official visits and expatriate outreach – to register and vote.

The Fresno Bee reported in early November 2023 that Guadalupe Mendiola Gonzalez, of the Electoral Institute of the State of Guanajuato, and Nora Ruth Chavez Gonzalez, the state’s director of political and electoral culture, were eager to boost turnout In February, the American press – from local outlets to the New York Times – was also filled with articles explaining how to vote in Mexico’s upcoming election, although their connection to Mexican government efforts was much less clear. Either way, a huge and vociferous get-out-the-vote campaign was evident.

To register, Mexican nationals must have a valid voter ID from the “I.N.E,” the National Electoral Institute and be 18 years old by election day.

To obtain an I.N.E. one must present a valid form of photo identification, proof of residency, and proof of nationality, such as a Mexican birth certificate, which notably are available to individuals not born in Mexico.

The Mexican government emphasizes this in no way impacts their U.S. citizenship in the eyes of the Mexican government. It is now even possible to apply for such a document online.

In addition to the unprecedented ease and accessibility of voting, who will be able to vote will be just as important. As the Texas Tribune pointed out, a 2021 constitutional amendment allowed Mexican nationality to be passed on indefinitely. This was a reference to an amendment of Chapter II Article 30A of the Mexican Constitution. Mexico’s foreign ministry stressed the significance of this by stating that “[n]ow, unrestricted transmission of Mexican nationality by birth is allowed for generations born outside of Mexico, descendants of Mexicans, father or mother, who were also born outside of Mexico.”

Prior to that, a territorial-generational limit applied, i.e. those born outside of Mexico could inherit Mexican nationality if their parents were born on Mexican territory.

Some Mexican consulates treated this law quite “liberally,” finding creative ways around the narrow interpretation, until Mexico’s Supreme Court eventually weighed in and restored the original meaning of the statute. This ultimately led to the constitutional reform now growing the potential U.S.-based number of voters in Mexico’s election to unprecedented levels.

Why is all of this important?

The Mexican government clearly wants it both ways.

It is not troubled by millions of its nationals emigrating to the United States—at least not troubled enough to enact economic reforms, eliminate corruption, protect public safety and encourage its people to stay.

Yet, Mexico also wants its diaspora to be invested in the old country (particularly to send money home), undermining efforts to integrate them into wider U.S. society by keeping their “affective bonds” in Mexico. By extending eligibility to its large diaspora, Mexico aims to extend this across generations of U.S.-born Mexicans. Such an approach says a great deal about Mexican government policy, which has traditionally sought to derive maximum advantage from the mass migration of its citizens into the U.S.

In addition to voting in Mexican elections, Mexico has urged U.S.-based Mexicans to vote against candidates proposing immigration controls here in the U.S.

This shows that their interest lies not only in getting U.S.-based Mexicans bonded to the old country, but using them as a vote bloc in the U.S. to benefit the interests of Mexico. Whatever the outcome of the Mexican elections, it seems clear that Mexico will continue this type of strategy.




https://www.fairus.org/biden-immigra...mpaign-america