Mexico Lower House Rejects Sheinbaum Electoral Reform Proposal

Mexico’s lower house of Congress has rejected an electoral reform proposal backed by President Claudia Sheinbaum, delivering a political setback to the government’s attempt to change the country’s election framework.

The Chamber of Deputies (Mexico) voted on the constitutional reform on Wednesday. The proposal secured 259 votes in favor and 234 against, with one abstention. However, constitutional amendments in Mexico Congress require a two-thirds majority, and the bill failed to reach that threshold.

The reform was introduced by the administration as a plan to cut election costs and reorganize electoral institutions. Officials from the ruling National Regeneration Movement argued that the proposal would simplify election administration and reduce public spending on the electoral system.

• Mexico lower house blocks Sheinbaum electoral reform bill
• Constitutional proposal fails to secure two-thirds majority
• Opposition warns changes could weaken election oversight

Opposition lawmakers strongly criticized the initiative, arguing that the reform could weaken democratic safeguards and reduce the independence of election authorities. Several legislators warned that the proposal might concentrate political influence and weaken the balance among institutions that oversee elections in Mexico.

The proposal also exposed divisions within the governing alliance. Some lawmakers from allied parties, including the Labor Party (Mexico) and the Ecologist Green Party of Mexico, did not fully support the reform during the vote. Their hesitation contributed to the proposal failing to secure the required supermajority in Congress.

Key parts of the reform included reducing the size of Mexico’s Senate, revising rules on proportional representation, and lowering public spending on elections by about 25%. The proposal also included plans to remove the preliminary election results system and introduce regulations on the use of automated digital tools and artificial intelligence in political campaigns.

Despite the defeat, lawmakers from the ruling party signaled that the government may attempt a different legislative path. Members of Morena said they could introduce parts of the reform through secondary legislation, which requires only a simple majority in Congress rather than the higher threshold required for constitutional changes.

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The vote marks one of the first major legislative tests for Sheinbaum since assuming the presidency. The outcome reflects the challenge of passing institutional reforms in a divided Congress, where cross-party support remains necessary for constitutional amendments.