Mexico's INE Validates Judicial Elections, Cancels 46 Candidacies Including Incarcerated Winner

Mexico City, June 28, 2025 – The National Electoral Institute (INE) has officially concluded the validation of all elections from the judicial process, nearly 15 days behind schedule. The General Council of the INE announced the annulment of 46 candidacies, comprising 24 for circuit magistrates and 21 for district judges. These disqualifications were primarily due to candidates failing to meet the required academic averages, specifically an 8.0 for undergraduate degrees and a 9.0 for specializations, master's, or doctorates.Among the canceled candidacies was that of Héctor Ulises Orduña, a district judge candidate in Veracruz, who had reportedly won the election while incarcerated. Orduña was arrested on June 8 for alleged sexual abuse against a minor niece. The annulled candidacies will now be considered vacant, with the Federal Electoral Tribunal expected to determine the new occupants.During the validation session, a contentious debate arose among the counselors regarding the influence of "accordions" (voter guides) on the election results. Counselors Claudia Zavala and Arturo Castillo argued that the widespread use of these guides influenced the vote and cast doubt on the election's validity. In response, Counselor Uuc-Kib Espadas brought a purple elephant balloon, a symbolic gesture to mock the idea that these "accordions" were a decisive factor, asserting that such arguments lacked substantiation. He further presented examples of similar voter guides used in US elections to underscore his point. The INE is scheduled to begin issuing credentials for magistrates and judges on July 3, aiming to finalize this electoral process.