The structure and independence of Mexico’s judiciary, only about 13% of eligible voters turned out to cast their ballots in the country’s first-ever national judicial election, according to preliminary estimates released Monday by the National Electoral Institute (INE).
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President Claudia Sheinbaum, who championed the sweeping reform, declared the process a “complete success”, highlighting its peaceful conduct and low-cost execution. But critics and analysts have warned that the low participation rate—approximately 13 million of over 100 million eligible voters—threatens to undermine the legitimacy of the controversial judicial overhaul.
The elections, held on Sunday, aimed to fill about 2,600 judicial positions, including all nine seats on the Supreme Court, making Mexico one of the few countries in the world where judges are selected by popular vote rather than appointment.
INE officials estimated voter turnout between 12.57% and 13.32%, based on representative sampling across the country. Official counting is expected to conclude by June 15.
The judicial election is the result of a constitutional amendment spearheaded by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and carried forward by Sheinbaum. The reform was marketed as a way to democratize the judiciary, combat corruption, and eliminate nepotism—a longstanding concern in Mexico’s legal system.
“Everything can be perfected,” Sheinbaum said at a press conference on Monday. “We will draw conclusions from yesterday to make improvements for 2027,” referring to the next round of judicial elections, which will involve over 1,000 additional seats.
Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez described the vote as meeting expectations and taking place in a “climate of peace and tranquility.”
However, experts say the complexity of the ballot, which required voters to select from nearly 8,000 candidates, and the lack of public familiarity with most contenders, significantly hampered participation.
Among the top concerns are the qualifications and backgrounds of the candidates. According to Goldman Sachs economist Alberto Ramos, the process was “fraught with controversy,” and many of the 3,400 candidates had limited legal experience or questionable credentials.
In some cases, concerns were more alarming. Civil society groups and media reports revealed that among the candidates were individuals convicted of drug trafficking, as well as a former lawyer for Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, raising fears that the vote could open doors for organized crime to infiltrate the judiciary.
The Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Electoral Crimes said it received 23 complaints about alleged electoral crimes during the vote for nearly 900 federal judicial positions.
Critics, including legal scholars and sitting justices, argue the reform represents a serious threat to judicial independence. By placing judicial candidates in the political arena, they say, the measure weakens the judiciary’s ability to act as a check on executive power.
One sitting Supreme Court justice, who chose not to vote, called the reform a “historic mistake.” Others have likened it to authoritarian models seen in countries like Hungary, where elected judiciaries have been used to consolidate political control.
Monica Castillejos-Aragon, a former clerk at Mexico’s Supreme Court and now a professor at UC Berkeley, said the reform marks a regression.
“Mexico is just returning to the old days of the authoritarian regime,” she said. “This feels like a full takeover by the ruling party Morena.”
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