Ciudad Juárez Election Results Annulled Due to "Irregularities"

 
The Chihuahua State Election Tribunal annulled the results of the July mayoral elections in Ciudad Juárez, a border city that is one of Mexico's largest urban areas, citing irregularities. The tribunal pointed to last-minute changes in voting station personnel and the slate of candidates running for the incumbent Partido Acción Nacional (PAN), as well as alleged campaigning by PAN Mayor Gustavo Elizondo (under Mexican law, it is illegal for officials in power to campaign for other candidates).

The PAN's candidate won the election, and the party has said that it will appeal the annulment. Mexico's Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) must rule on whether to uphold the state tribunal's decision. The Chihuahua state Congress, which is dominated by the opposition Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), is likely to ask for a new election.

For more information, see the US-Mexico border newsletter Frontera NorteSur, http://frontera.nmsu.edu.