Peculiarities of the electoral system in Mexico: absence of a runoff election and a six-year presidential term.

In Mexico, one of the main peculiarities of the electoral system is the absence of a runoff election to determine the winner in presidential elections, as well as the fact that the president governs for a period of six years. These particularities may be striking to those accustomed to the runoff system that is carried out in several countries in Latin America. Unlike nations such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and others, Mexico does not hold a second round of voting in case no candidate reaches an absolute majority. Instead, the winner is the candidate who receives the highest number of votes in the first round, even if they do not surpass 50% of the votes. This situation contrasts with the common practice in the region, where the runoff election seeks to ensure that the winner has majority support. Over the years, there have been attempts to implement a runoff election in Mexico, especially when elections are competitive or controversial. However, the system of relative majority prevails, which has been used to elect the president, governors, mayors, legislators, and other public officials. The issue of the runoff election gains relevance in the context of the upcoming elections in Mexico, where citizens are preparing to cast their votes and possibly elect their first female president, considering that the two women leading the polls could face each other in a close contest. The absence of a runoff election in Mexico has been a subject of debate among political specialists, who believe that this mechanism could help prevent electoral problems seen in past decades, such as in the elections of 1988 and 1994, when the results were close and a clear majority was not achieved. Historically, the political hegemony of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) in Mexico during much of the 20th century made the implementation of a runoff election unnecessary, as their candidates generally obtained resounding victories in presidential elections. However, starting in 1988, there was greater electoral competition and closer results, which could have justified the adoption of this system. In addition to the absence of a runoff election, another peculiarity of the Mexican political system is the six-year presidential term, contrasting with the four or five-year terms in most Latin American countries. This characteristic has its roots in the Mexican Revolution and the 1917 Constitution, which initially established a four-year term and was later extended to six years. Despite the efforts of some presidents, such as Felipe Calderón, to push for reforms to establish a runoff election in Mexico, these proposals have been shelved in Congress on several occasions. Therefore, the country continues without this mechanism that could provide greater legitimacy to governments resulting from close elections and contribute to a broader representation of the political spectrum. Ultimately, the absence of a runoff election in Mexico and the six-year presidential term mark the uniqueness of the country's political system. As elections approach and citizens prepare to cast their votes, the importance of debating possible reforms that can strengthen the electoral system and increase the legitimacy of the governments resulting from the ballots becomes evident.