Sheinbaum Unveils Electoral Reform

President Claudia Sheinbaum has proposed a constitutional electoral reform that would modify proportional representation in Congress, cut election costs and strengthen financial oversight of political parties and the National Electoral Institute (INE). The new electoral reform seeks to reduce public electoral fraud, regulate AI use in campaigns and restructure vote-counting procedures, reshaping Mexico’s political and regulatory framework. 

Sheinbaum said one of the strongest public demands is to reform the system of proportional representation lawmakers, known as plurinominales. She stressed the presentation of the reform had been postponed for several days due to a lack of consensus with allied parties of MORENA.

“It is about listening to the people. Proportional representation will remain, but candidates must seek votes and face voters,” she said, adding that she does not agree with the current plurinominal system.

Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez outlined the 10 core elements of the initiative, which will be sent to Congress.

The main points of the proposal are:

• Representation in the Chamber of Deputies: The Chamber of Deputies would keep 500 seats, with 300 filled through majority vote and 200 through proportional representation. Among the proportional seats, 97 would be assigned to the highest-performing losing candidates, 95 would be chosen by direct vote from regional lists, and eight would represent Mexican citizens living abroad. The proportional representation mechanism would be eliminated in the Senate, reducing the number of senators from 128 to 96.
   

• Reduction in election costs: The reform proposes a 25% cut in the cost of elections, implying adjustments to funding for the INE and political parties.
   

• Strengthened financial oversight: The INE would gain greater access to the financial operations of political parties.
   

• Voting from abroad: Mexicans living abroad would be allowed to elect eight federal deputies.
   

• Airtime on radio and television: Political parties’ time during electoral periods would be reduced from 48 minutes to 35 minutes.
   

• Regulation of artificial intelligence: The use of AI in electoral processes would be regulated and manipulation through bots and similar mechanisms on social media would be prohibited.
   

• District-level vote counts: District counts would begin immediately after polls close, eliminating the Preliminary Electoral Results Program, or PREP, and generating official preliminary results directly.
   

• Expansion of participatory democracy: Mechanisms for citizen involvement in electoral processes would be broadened.
   

• Prohibition of nepotism: Nepotism would be banned at all levels of government.
   

• Ban on immediate reelection: Immediate reelection for all public offices would be prohibited starting in 2030.
   

Pablo Gómez Álvarez, executive president, Presidential Commission for Electoral Reform, said the initiative represents an update of Mexico’s electoral system rather than an administrative adjustment. He said the objectives are to strengthen democratic legitimacy, rationalize public electoral spending, improve financial oversight, respect electoral federalism and expand citizen participation. 

Gómez stated that Mexico’s electoral process is among the most costly globally and urged a review of expenditures, especially during years without elections.

Mexico’s 2024 Election Cost Estimated at MX$60.45 Billion

The scale of Mexico’s 2024 election spending has become a key factor in discussions about electoral reform. According to Laboratorio Electoral, the total cost of the electoral process was estimated at MX$60.45 billion (US$3.5 billion), covering federal and local electoral authorities, judicial bodies, and public financing for national and local political parties.

Mexico’s 2024 electoral process makes it one of the most expensive elections globally relative to its electorate size. By comparison, major democracies spend less per voter. The United States spent approximately US$14 billion in the 2020 federal elections, around US$44 per voter; Canada’s 2019 federal election cost roughly US$450 million, about US$30 per voter; and the United Kingdom’s 2019 general election cost around US$300 million, translating to US$5–6 per voter.