Mexico Considers Delaying Judicial Elections to 2028, Proposes New Model

Mazatlán, Sinaloa — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced her administration is considering postponing the next judicial elections until 2028 to avoid scheduling conflicts with a planned recall referendum.

Speaking from Mazatlán during her morning press conference, Sheinbaum said officials are evaluating moving the judicial vote back by two years. The final decision would require approval from Congress.

“We are still reviewing it. There is a possibility of changing the judicial election to 2028, which we would send as a proposal for Congress to decide,” Sheinbaum stated. “We are also evaluating the costs because ultimately we are seeking to reduce costs for the people. Holding it in another year would also involve its own expenses. So we are assessing what that would mean and also the number of ballots citizens would have.”

The president explained that the analysis includes the financial impact of the election, noting that one of her government’s objectives is to reduce electoral spending costs for taxpayers. Holding separate electoral processes in different years would increase government expenses.

Under the proposed new model, the next judicial election would no longer include voting for Supreme Court justices or members of higher tribunals. Instead, the election would focus on regional judges and magistrates as part of a reorganization outlined in ongoing electoral reforms.

The first judicial election took place on June 1, when voters selected nine Supreme Court justices, two magistrates for the Superior Chamber of the Electoral Tribunal, 15 magistrates for Regional Chambers of the same tribunal, five magistrates for the Judicial Discipline Tribunal, 464 circuit court magistrates, and 386 district judges.