Guanajuato electoral institute reserves 13 municipalities for female candidates

The Electoral Institute of the State of Guanajuato (IEEG) has decided to reserve mayoral candidacies exclusively for women in 13 municipalities for the 2027 elections. The measure aims to address persistent inequality in women's access to municipal presidencies, noting that previous parity measures have not resulted in a proportional number of elected female mayors.

Political parties have challenged the decision. Morena filed an appeal with the State Electoral Tribunal of Guanajuato (TEEG), arguing that the affirmative action is based on a flawed premise regarding women's ability to win elections independently. The party also expressed concern that the measure sends a negative message to voters and could undermine the legitimacy of future female mayors.

Similarly, Movimiento Ciudadano has criticized the move, with Deputy Sandra Alicia Pedroza Orozco describing the decision as based on deficient historical studies. She argued that forcing women to compete only against each other is a patriarchal approach that ignores structural barriers, such as unequal campaign financing and political violence, which prevent women from winning against male candidates.