Mexico Wants Citizens Abroad To Vote In 2018 Presidential Election

February 20, 2018

The campaign to become Mexico’s next president is in full swing. Voters will head to the polls this summer and there’s an effort to get Mexicans living in the United States to take part in the election back home.

Mexico’s president serves a six-year term and cannot seek re-election.

Mexicans living abroad have been able to vote in the presidential election since 2006. But data show turnout among Mexicans living abroad dropped by about 10 percentage points in 2012.

There’s an ongoing effort to get all Mexicans living in foreign countries to obtain their national voter identification card, get mail-in ballots and send them back to be counted in the election on July 1.

Mexican nationals can get voter identification at the Mexican consulate. The deadline is March 31.

But officials are encouraging people to start the process sooner to make sure there’s enough time to receive their ballot, fill it out and send it back.