No rush to certify Mexican election

It may come as a surprise to many Americans to hear that there is no winner yet in the Mexican presidential election. Although most news sources in the United States rushed to declare conservative Felipe Calderón the victor last week, when the completed vote count showed him with a 0.6-percent advantage, the race has not officially been called. With the work of Mexico's vote-counting body now done, the country's Federal Elections Court is responsible for verifying the count, resolving any outstanding disputes and announcing an official winner.

Part of Calderón's campaign strategy has been to behave as if the election is a done deal, and he is already president. We shouldn't play into this game by misunderstanding Mexico's electoral process or prematurely insisting on a victor.

Unlike the United States, Mexico has an extended lame-duck period after its elections. The next president will not take office until December. Moreover, Mexican law gives the Federal Elections Court until the first week of September to reach its decision. The court has the power to open ballot boxes, to mandate a vote-by-vote recount and even to order a new election. A full recount is now one of the central demands of progressive candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador's campaign, with significant support in the wider electorate.

By taking advantage of the time afforded it and creating as much transparency as possible in its review, the Federal Elections Court can work to restore public confidence in the country's democratic institutions - something diminished by perceptions of irregularities in last week's vote-counting.

On Monday, López Obrador filed a challenge with the court alleging numerous problems with the election. While U.S. observers might feel inclined to see López Obrador's challenge as a case of sour grapes, most Mexicans recognize it as a legitimate part of the process. Given a long history of electoral fraud in the country, the candidate would be foolish not to question irregularities.


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