In Mexico, very few voters vote on whether the president should go or stay

MEXICO CITY – Fewer than two in 10 eligible Mexican voters bothered to vote Sunday on whether their popular president should end his six-year term midway through or continue through to the end, according to the original statistical estimate of the National Electoral Institute.

Participation in the referendum was estimated to be between 17% and 18% of eligible voters, less than half the participation required for the outcome to be binding.

The early return, as expected, shows an overwhelming trend towards President Andrés Manuel López Obrador ending his term, with nearly all the votes in favor of the leader.

Lorenzo Córdova, president of the National Electoral Institute, stressed that this is a statistical estimate based on sampling of ballots, but with 95% confidence. He said estimates indicate that more than 90% of those who voted in favor of López Obrador are still in office.

It was López Obrador who pushed for the first referendum of its kind in Mexico.

It was considered a safe bet. The referendum is only binding if at least 40% of the country’s voters vote – which experts say is unlikely – and López Obrador has maintained an approval rating of around 60%.

With that in mind, critics have criticized the exercise as a waste of money – nearly $80 million – and just a way for López Obrador to rally his base midway through his time at taste. For someone known as an eternal campaigner, reasserting support is expected to make sense, but for a president outspoken about austerity, it poses a challenge. many questions.

López Obrador cast an early vote Sunday in downtown Mexico City, urging others to vote.

“There has always to be democracy in the family, in school, in work, in union, of course in public life and you have to be involved,” the president said.

Some in the opposition have called on voters to boycott. López Obrador’s Morena party was active in encouraging the presidential base to vote. The president has faced criticism that government officials and resources pushed for the referendum.

How many voters will be an important question.

Patricio Morales, an analyst at the University of Monterrey Institute of Technology and Education, said a lack of awareness about the referendum and potential loss of interest among voters could affect voter turnout. vote.

He noted that only 7% of voters took part in another referendum last year asking whether former presidents should be indicted.

The referendum sparked a feud between López Obrador and Mexico’s respected electoral body. Lawmakers from his party cut the National Electoral Institute’s budget, and the institute said it did not have the money to carry out the referendum, which was initially estimated to be more than $191 million. It refuses to continue until the Supreme Court rules that it must. The adjustments reduced the projected cost to $78.2 million.

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at Blogtuan.info – Source: nbcnews.com – Read the original article here