On Sunday, voters across Mexico made their way to polling stations to select judges, with an emphasis on revitalizing the judiciary through one of the most extensive electoral processes in a significant democracy. This election included not only the nine members of the Supreme Court but also over 2,600 other judicial positions, marking a monumental change from the traditional appointment-based judicial system. Leaders of the governing Morena party advocate this reform as a vital step towards eliminating corruption, democratizing the judiciary, and empowering citizens in the justice system.
However, the reforms have faced substantial backlash from opposition leaders and legal experts, raising alarms about the potential concentration of power in the hands of Morena and the removal of prior career prerequisites for judicial candidates. Critics fear this might pave the way for nominees who could be susceptible to influence from organized crime, particularly drug cartels, thereby jeopardizing the integrity of the legal system.
Given the ambitious nature of the elections, which featured more than 7,700 candidates, experts anticipated a potentially low voter turnout. Observations across the country indicated In many locations, voter lines remained sparse as the voting commenced.
In Tultitlán, situated in the state of Mexico, voting participant Jazmín Gutiérrez Ruiz shared her hopes for the elections, citing personal experiences wherein her brothers were imprisoned for a crime they did not commit. She emphasized her desire for a transformed judiciary that carefully considers all cases. "I want the magistrates and judges to change... Just like my brothers, there are many people locked up unjustly,” she expressed, illuminating the personal stakes for many voters in this pivotal election.
