How voting in mexico works

[Elta]

Sorry I got a temp job so I couldn't post here http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=176851 and I don't want to bump old threads . (if you think I shoulda posted there just merge tham I suppose)

I am not from mexico (I am half mexican and white (irish/italian) ) but, when I was visiting my uncle (and working on his state senante campaign) I learned all about the process so I'll give you a quick run down of it and the major partys.


There are 250 + (this was a few years ago there are probably more now) partys in mexico to register one I belive you just need a large some of money and some signatures, running as an independent is tantamont to starting your own party

When you go to vote in mexico all 250 partys are listed and you can not vote for a person all you can do is draw an X over a partys sign and vote for the entire party.

There are translations in over 20 other indigonus languages for the 10% of mexicans who don't speak spanish, you can also find french,english and portuguse when requested. For the 3% of illeterate spanish speakers they are ussually helped by the surverys (ussually high school kids making some extra money on the side)


At the national level there are 2 chaimbers of government (like the U.S.) Camara de Diputadous (spl?) with 500 people (five year terms) 300 of them are chosen in single state elections. The other 200 are chosen by multi state elections of 40 people each, meaning the country is cut up into 5 halfs (more or less equal pop.) and they vote on 40 people to send from each multi state district (the pick one party and thats it system makes this uncomplicate for the voter since the party decides who to send) you party gets 50% of the votes in one multi state districts = 20 people sent etc .

Camara de Senadores (chamber of senators, I am not sure what diputadous is in english (see above) )
there are 128 of these and theyy are elctecd to 6 year terms
each state gets 3 (one changes every 2 years) the last 32 are chosen proptinally by party from state wide votes and mexico city (like D.C. in that it's not a state) gets one


There are 5 people in the suprem court (I don't know how this works)

of the 628 people in national all but 4 or 5 seats (up to a few years ago anyway) were held by the PRD,PAN (mmm pan / bread in spanish ) and PRI

Brief rundown:

PRD: Revolution in (for) democracy party - The U.S. media seems to be trying to peg them as chavez lovers but, IMO the social programs that they are trying to implment are in more radical than the ones in Canada.

PAN: National Acticon Party - Rich catholics(a cheap shot ..but they do remind me of prominant republicans) that are very *libertarian like but, favor HEAVY education programs and do what ever they can to get forigen investment even at the cost of job loss within mexico (says it will be better in the long run)
*I say libertarian and religous because they don't try to meddle in personal affiars but there rehetoric sounds just like stuff republicans say on stage + cardinals openly supporting them.

PRI:Industrial Revolution party - The party that was in power for many years, they lost at least 10% of the seats they had and had MANY of there politicans switch to other partys, I suspect it's because they have been trying to cater and promise things to any group who will vote for them - maybe there's no room for a Industrialist country in a country allready considered industrialised -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:OECDMitgliedsstaaten.png



Does this system make the other partys useless? no not really because it is very commen for members of the 3 big partys to be associated with the other 250+ partys sometimes 5 or 6 at once for example you are in a big church supporting area (PAN, bible belt etc) and you want to get more votes from unionist, nature lovers and natives you can join them without seperating from your main party PAN+Union party+Green party+native rights if the green party sees that there party will get no majority they can pass there votes over to PAN+Green party people. It is very rare that one of the 3 major partys will change it's opnion on the smaller ones unless they have a large change of heart so there are many multi party people.


Recent elections: I suppose it means contunued stability and investment by western countrys and since the U.S. through world bank can veto new economic bills in mexico (because if you lose money in a mexican bank the U.S. will pay you back with F.D.I.C.) I expect continued growth prosperity less illegal immgrants here etc etc.

 

[skadistic]

Cool beans. Thanks for that. I'm trying to aleive my self of my Mexican politics ignorance. It important to better understand the goverments that surround you so you can understand how best to conquer them.

 

[7ronin]

Just how bad is voting fraud really?

 

[Elta]

Just how bad is voting fraud really?

According to the OAS (orginzation of american states) , U.N. and randomly chosen (like american jury duty) poll watchers it's non existant but every 2 years someone pays a bunch of people 100+ U.S. to vote for there party.

I wonder how many surveyers too U.N.,OAS, random inspectors there are. If manzanillo 2002 is any indication 130,000 person town = XXXX amount of voters ?? = 200 Survers

I wonder about the supposed anti fraud techniques added to the new election sheets are any good too, I suppose if the money in mexico is any indication they are pretty hard to replicate or change.
(there's like little scanable patterns of electronic fibers on mexican money if you use special lights or peel the paper cover off, it's pretty cool the paper money in mexico is noticably heavyer ...makes you feel rich )

 

[Chieftess]

What I want to know is, which Mexican state was the Florida of Mexico in this election?

(First Florida, then Italy, and now Mexico... I think this "Too close to call" thing is catching on... Apparently, there's still some way off tangent who still won't give up the fight.)

 

[jerlavo]

There are 250 + (this was a few years ago there are probably more now) partys in mexico to register one I belive you just need a large some of money and some signatures, running as an independent is tantamont to starting your own party

When you go to vote in mexico all 250 partys are listed and you can not vote for a person all you can do is draw an X over a partys sign and vote for the entire party.

Actually, according to IFE, the mexican electoral organism:
The registered national political parties are : Partido Acción Nacional(PAN), Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), Partido de la Revolución Democrática(PRD), Partido del Trabajo(PT), Partido Verde Ecologista de México (PVEM), Convergencia (C), Partido Nueva Alianza (PANAL), Alternativa Sociodemácrata y Campesina (ASDC).

* The order of mention of the political parties is related to their registration date.
* For the July 2nd election, two coalitions nominating common candidates were formed: "Alianza por México" (PRI and PVEM), and the one called "Por el bien de todos" (PRD, PT and C).
* Political parties must obtain at least 2% of the national voting issued either in the Presidential, the Senate or the Deputies elections in order to remain registered.

I think that you can find some interesting information in IFE's webpage, http://www.ife.org.mx/important_dates_times.htm

 

[Pyrite]

Elta, what are the views of most mexicanos on the zapatismos?

 

[Elta]

Elta, what are the views of most mexicanos on the zapatismos?

Well from my family (guadalajara,manzanillo) they see them as terrorist (allthou they are not active in such things atm) everyone understands there cause, big multinational corperations are taking your whole area for them selfs (destroy the enviorment????) and leaving them with nothing. People from Chiapas and the rest of the south in general think they get bad treatment because of there skin color (because they are more indian than spainish)

This might be true to an extent but it's not true to the fact where they would be keept poor: Michoacán,Guerrero,Oaxaca,Chiapas http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mexican_states_by_HDI
are all very low on the HDI all on the south pacific coast and all right next to each other
Median income mexico: 10,000
Jalisco: 16,000
Chiapas: 5,000
is chiapas being ignored and abused? should they just be there own state like they want to be

U.S.:40,000
California:50,000
Missippi:19,000
......not much diff. really

There are poor and rich states,provinces,prefectures in every country in the U.S. the south is poor, in mexico the south is poor sure they need to do more on the governments part to protect the rain forest.

In any case the chiapas rebles love to go and march with there ski mask on and chant, if they even try anything god knows the'll get torn apart and if it last more than a day or two I am sure there will be a OAS (america mostly) initive to help mexico out.
Mexicans tend to be like Texans with alot of state pride if chipas wants to rebel ...... the Jalisco republic shall rise agian

 

[Pyrite]

"In any case the chiapas rebles love to go and march with there ski mask on and chant"
Hee i know they are really cute.

"if they even try anything god knows the'll get torn apart "
They've taken several military bases in the past. By marching on them unarmed, but having guerillas present in the background.

"it last more than a day or two I am sure there will be a OAS (america mostly) initive to help mexico out."

Lots of groups already are helping them. I know of two people (americans) down there now helping with farming.

 

[Elta]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:2006_Mexican_election_per_state.png states 8,13,10,21,23,27 you could draw a line and seperate mexico right there. Granted every one in mexico has some sort of amerindian blood but along that border there are not many people and the people in the northen side tend to be alot lighter skined and have historicly benefited from oil,cattle fields and tradewiththe U.S. making them alot better of on average compared to the south. I know that their are pro seperation immgrants in the U.S. (ussually college educated people from the north who are U.S. citzens) that want the north to be it's own country or become part of the U.S., I really never thought there was a political devide like this too thou I am shocked really.