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Mexico’s Supreme Court Upholds Coahuila Ballot Photos in 5–4 Ruling

The majority concluded that candidate images are not electoral propaganda, leaving ballot design to local authorities.

Overview

  • The SCJN validated Coahuila’s electoral-code change allowing candidate photographs on gubernatorial and municipal ballots, with effect in future local elections rather than next year’s midterm.
  • The approved opinion asserts that a photograph by itself does not constitute persuasive messaging or confer an unfair advantage.
  • The Court found no federal requirement in the Constitution or LEGIPE for a specific ballot format, affirming state discretion to set design features.
  • Morena, PT and Movimiento Ciudadano had filed five constitutional challenges, while dissenters including Lenia Batres and María Estela Ríos warned of inequity and the personalization of party-based votes.
  • Justices also replaced the concept of 'votación emitida' with 'votación depura' for representation calculations, excluding null votes and ballots for unregistered or deregistered parties.