Querétaro electoral law requiring female candidates in municipalities without a female mayor, Digi Mart USA News (Querétaro, Mexico): On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, the Plenary of Mexico’s Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) validated a reform requiring political parties to nominate a female candidate in at least two municipalities in Querétaro. The requirement applies only in localities where a woman has not previously won the municipal presidency.
The proposal was presented by Justice Loretta Ortiz Ahlf and seeks to encourage more active participation by women in politics. According to the report, its goal is to eliminate discrimination against women in electoral processes in the state, which is part of the Bajío region.
The obligation targets municipalities where a woman has yet to win the mayoralty. Parties will not be required to nominate a candidate in any specific municipality; each party may choose the locality where it applies the measure.
Justices described the measure as favorable, well-founded and supportive of women’s participation in election campaigns.
During the session, it was clarified that the proposal does not bar men from seeking the municipal presidency in the state, but rather aims to guarantee gender equality during the process. Morena was among the parties that challenged the measure, arguing that it directly affected its freedom to choose its candidates.
Among the Querétaro municipalities that have never had a mayor elected by popular vote who is a woman are Querétaro, El Marqués, Tequisquiapan, Colón and Amealco de Bonfil. Under the new rule, some of these municipalities are expected to have female candidates in the upcoming electoral process.
