The Mexican state of Oaxaca is moving forward with a historic recall election process. This mechanism of direct citizen participation will be a first for the country. The Mexican Supreme Court has validated the procedure's legitimacy, establishing key deadlines and rules.
The core of the process is that around 1.2 million Oaxaca residents must answer the question: do they agree to recall the governor due to a loss of confidence or allow him to finish his term? The court's ruling has given the process greater certainty and legality.
Governor Salomón Jara proposed this reform in 2023 and will be the first state governor in the country to face a recall election. He expressed support for the initiative, viewing it as an important mechanism for civic participation rather than a victory or defeat.
The court upheld several key points. First, for the recall to be binding, at least 40% of voters must participate. Second, the court eliminated the requirement to collect signatures in 10% of municipalities, setting a single threshold of 308,000 signatures for the entire state. The court also extended the signature collection period from 30 to 90 days.
One of the key questions is the timing of the election. It will depend on when citizens officially submit their request. If it happens in early December, the vote could take place as soon as January; if in January, then by the end of February. In this way, Oaxaca is setting an important precedent for other Mexican states.
