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Mexico is expected to elect its first woman president Sunday in the election between center-right Xóchitl Gálvez and left-wing Claudia Sheinbaum. For the first time, Mexican nationals living in Illinois and northern Indiana can cast a vote in person at the Consulate General of Mexico of Chicago to decide who will succeed Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
About 225,000 Mexican nationals have registered to vote in person, online or through mail to cast a ballot in the U.S., Canada and France, according to the latest reports from the National Electoral Institute.
López Obrador, a populist colloquially known as AMLO, finishes his term as one of the most popular and controversial leaders in modern history after taking the reins from established major parties in Mexico.
Sheinbaum, a scientist and former Mexico City mayor, is the front-runner, representing Morena, the country’s current ruling party. Her opponent, Gàlvez, is a former senator now representing a coalition of the National Action Party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party and the Party of the Democratic Revolution.
Sheinbaum, López Obrador’s protege, has promised to continue current policies of expanding social programs for the country’s low-income and working class. Meanwhile, Galvez has emerged as the opposing candidate promising to quell violence and corruption, harshly criticizing AMLO’s failed policies to stop cartel violence.
A third, less popular candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez of Citizen’s Movement, is also running.
Chicago has the second largest number of registered Mexican voters in the U.S., according to Arturo Castillo, electoral adviser of the National Electoral Institute. The latest census data indicates that 1 in 5 Chicagoans identify as Mexican. Los Angeles has the most registered Mexican voters, with Houston in third place.
Voters will also have a say in nine gubernatorial races, including the states of Chiapas, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, Puebla, Tabasco, Veracruz, Yucatán and Mexico City, 128 senators of the republic, and all 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies.
Each Mexican consulate will have 1,500 ballots available for people who did not register but have a valid Mexican voter’s identification and wish to vote in person. The ballots will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
In the United States, in-person voting will take place at Mexican consulates in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, New Brunswick, New York, Oklahoma, Orlando, Phoenix, Raleigh, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Ana, Seattle and Washington, D.C.
The Mexican consulate in Chicago will open its doors at 9 a.m. Sunday. Polls close at 7 p.m. Voters still in line by 6 p.m. will be allowed to cast their vote.
Online voting: Those registered to vote online can cast their ballots through the INE platform through June 2 at 6 p.m.
Mail-in ballots: The INE sent a package for those who choose this modality to vote. The package contains the ballots for casting the votes and a prepaid envelope to send back to Mexico at no cost. The package must be returned as soon as possible to make sure the INE receives it by June 1st at 8 a.m.
In-person voting: Those who registered to vote in person will have a ballot reserved at their preferred consulate. For those who did not register, 1,500 ballots will be available.
lrodriguez@chicagotribune.com
