Partial recount of votes ordered in Mexico presidential election

MEXICO CITY – A partial recount of votes cast in last month’s presidential election in Mexico began on Wednesday to determine who won the closely contested race as supporters of leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador kept up protests alleging electoral fraud.

Election officials launched the review of nine per cent of votes from the July 2 election at polling districts in 26 of Mexico’s 32 states under the supervision of 192 judges and representatives of political parties. Officials have set Sunday as the deadline to complete the recount, and until August 31 to resolve all pending questions.A president-elect must be named by September 6 and assume office on December 1.Based on initial results, conservative National Action Party (PAN) candidate Felipe Calderon won by a mere 0.58 per cent of the vote.But his opponent, Lopez Obrador, has refused to concede defeat and alleged the election was marked by widespread fraud.Leading a campaign of street demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience, Lopez Obrador and his Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) have demanded a full recount of all 41.7 million votes cast.But Mexico’s electoral tribunal on Saturday rejected Lopez Obrador’s recount petition, instead ruling for the partial recount at polling stations where it believed there were possible irregularities.Nampa-ReutersOfficials have set Sunday as the deadline to complete the recount, and until August 31 to resolve all pending questions.A president-elect must be named by September 6 and assume office on December 1.Based on initial results, conservative National Action Party (PAN) candidate Felipe Calderon won by a mere 0.58 per cent of the vote.But his opponent, Lopez Obrador, has refused to concede defeat and alleged the election was marked by widespread fraud.Leading a campaign of street demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience, Lopez Obrador and his Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) have demanded a full recount of all 41.7 million votes cast.But Mexico’s electoral tribunal on Saturday rejected Lopez Obrador’s recount petition, instead ruling for the partial recount at polling stations where it believed there were possible irregularities.Nampa-Reuters