The identity of Mexico’s next president will be revealed on Sunday around 11.45 p.m., the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) has promised.
IFE President Leonardo Valdes Zurita said the result will be based on a quick count of 7,597 voting booths from all over the country. The outcome, which will be announced on television and radio, will be “absolutely trustworthy,” Valdes said.
IFE aims to have counted 90 percent of the votes by 2 a.m. on Monday, to provide confirmation of the outcome.
If necessary, IFE is prepared to carry out a vote-by-vote recount in every precinct. Recounts will take place if the difference between first and second is less than one percent; if the number of spoiled ballots in any district is greater than the difference between first and second; and if one party wins 100 percent of the vote in any district.These measures are aimed to prevent any dispute over the outcome, such as that between Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Felipe Calderon in the 2006 presidential election.
To counter any possibility of electoral fraud, Mexican citizens have organized several online campaigns to carry out their own vote counts. The idea is to photograph the final count displayed at every voting booth across the country when the polls close at 6 p.m. The photos will then be submitted online for independent vote counts to be conducted. At least seven websites (such as www.fotoxcasilla.mx and www.fotoxvoto.org are carrying out similar initiatives, meaning a wide comparison of their results will be available.
The prominence of social media in 2012 has enabled online groups to adopt an unprecedented role as public watchdog over the electoral process, with another website, www.contamos.org.mx, set up for voters to report any irregularities or suspicions of fraud.