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Serving locally: Mexico.

A take-home sheet for people at the session. Other countries: United States · United Kingdom · Canada · Australia · New Zealand · India · Philippines · Argentina.

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Serving locally: Mexico

Handout · moraph.org/commons/sessions/voice/serving-locally

Local services depend on residents who give some of their time, from one day at an election to a seat on an advisory board. This sheet helps you find a role that fits.

Ways to serve

  • Advisory boards and commissions on subjects such as parks, libraries or accessibility.
  • Election work, run by the official election office.
  • School governing boards, community councils and volunteer roles with public services.

Ask before you apply

  • Who is eligible, and are there background checks?
  • How much time does it take, and what training is provided?
  • Is it paid, or are expenses covered?
  • Are there rules about political activity?

Where to look

  • Your local government’s website, under boards, committees or vacancies.
  • Your official election office for election work.
  • The official sources on the back of this sheet.

Stay impartial

  • Election workers serve every voter equally.
  • Questions about voting go to your official election office.

In Mexico

  • Citizens run the polling stations. On election day, each polling station (casilla) is run by a mesa directiva de casilla made up of citizens, who receive the votes and count them. It has a president, a secretary, two scrutineers and three general alternates.
  • Chosen by lottery. The INE’s General Council draws a month of the calendar by lot, which is used to select citizens at random (insaculación) from the voter list. INE trains the citizens who will serve.
  • Who can serve. Polling station officials must be on the voter register, have a voter ID card and be in full exercise of their political rights. They cannot be senior public officials or hold a party leadership post of any rank.
  • A civic duty. The Constitution lists among citizens’ obligations carrying out electoral functions, serving on a jury and taking on local council duties (cargos concejiles) in the municipality where they live.
  • Election observers. Any Mexican citizen in full exercise of their civil and political rights can apply to the INE, online or at an INE office, to be an accredited election observer, and must take a training course. Party leaders and candidates from the three years before the election cannot apply. Observers must not interfere, declare a winner or wear party emblems.

Official places to check:

General information, not advice about your own situation. Checked 22 October 2026. If an official source says something different, it is right. Free to copy and adapt. moraph.org/commons/sessions/voice/serving-locally Version of .

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