This week, local voting assistance officers in Lake Chapala and Guadalajara turned in 533 mail ballots to U.S. Consulate officials to ship to the U.S. mail service after two weeks of collections in sealed ballot boxes.
While many of the estimated 1.5 million potential voters living south-of-the-border have already sent in their ballots, there are some who have yet to do so.
This newspaper believes that in this U.S. election, perhaps more than any other, every vote must be counted.
On repeated occasions, President Donald Trump has cast doubt on the legality of the election outcome, shamelessly saying mail-in voting will result in massive fraud. His misleading statements have targeted unsolicited ballots and extended deadlines, while trying to paint a few isolated incidents of discarded ballots as a wider indication of coordinated voter fraud. Trump has said that he expects the Supreme Court will end up deciding the election due to “mail ballot fraud” – unless he wins, of course.
Most Democratic activists say a decisive victory would overrule the president’s baseless objections. It may not be enough just to win the Electoral College by a small margin, they say. Victory by a resounding majority is needed to ensure the United States doesn’t descend into months of chaos.
There is still time for Americans living abroad to register and solicit absentee ballots. If you need help, go to VoteFromAbroad.org, damx.me/lakechapala, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit to the Lake Chapala Society, Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., where in-person assistance will be offered.