Mexico's INE Councilor Uuc‑kib Espadas Proposes Dual‑Ballot System for 2027 Election

Uuc‑kib Espadas, a council member of Mexico’s Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE), has advocated for a two‑ballot system in the 2027 federal elections. Under his proposal, voters would receive one ballot for single‑member district candidates and a separate ballot for proportional‑representation lists, allowing them to support different parties in each category. Espadas argues that the current single‑ballot format, unchanged for four decades, forces voters to back the same party for both seats and limits electoral freedom.

The plan would require a constitutional amendment approved by a majority of the INE council and subsequent ratification by the Mexican Congress. If challenged, the measure could also be reviewed by the Tribunal Electoral del Poder Judicial de la Federación. Other INE officials, including council president Guadalupe Taddei, have expressed reservations about expanding the ballot process, citing concerns over complexity and budgetary impact. The proposal has sparked debate within Mexico’s political landscape about the future of plurinominal representatives and the broader direction of electoral reform.