General elections were held in Mexico on Sunday, 1 July 2012. Voters went to the polls to elect a new President of the Republic to serve a six-year term, replacing Felipe Calderón, 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies and 128 members of the Mexican Senate.

Several local ballots were held on the same day, including the election of a new Head of Government and new Legislative Assembly of the Federal District, gubernatorial elections in six states (Chiapas, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, Tabasco and Yucatán) and municipal and local congressional elections several states.

Electoral reform In December 2009, president Felipe Calderón attempted to pass a bill aimed at reducing the number of legislators in both chambers and another mechanism for the presidential election, which did not pass. If approved, the following reforms would have been implemented: Second round voting in case no presidential candidate receives an absolute majority of the votes. 96 Senators of the Republic, 3 for each state, elected by plurality for a period of six years, renewable once. 400 Federal Deputies (240 by first-past-the-post and 160 by proportional representation) elected for a period of three years with possibility of reelection.

However, the bill did not pass and the number of seats in Congress and the electoral system remained unchanged. The 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies were elected by two methods; 300 are elected by first-past-the post voting in single-member districts, and 200 are elected by proportional representation in five 40-seat constituencies.

Presidential candidates

The following are individuals who have either formally announced that they are running for president in 2012, or have formed an exploratory committee for a possible presidential run in 2012.

National Action Party (PAN) Nomination

Nominee: Josefina Vázquez Mota, Representative from Mexico City(6 September 2011) "Mexican Congresswoman Enters Presidential Contest , Latin American Herald Tribune. Retrieved 27 September 2011"Se despide Vázquez Mota de San Lázaro" , El Universal. Retrieved 6 September 2011.

Other pre-candidates: Ernesto Cordero, former Secretary of Finance and Public Credit from Mexico City(26 May 2011) "Mexico's Cordero takes aim at presidency", Reuters. Retrieved 27 September 2011.(9 September 2011) "Mexican Finance Minister Quits to Seek Presidency", The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 27 September 2011. Santiago Creel, Senator from Mexico City(12 July 2011) "Santiago Creel madruga: arranca carrera a Los Pinos, Excélsior. Retrieved 6 September 2011Simonnet, Carole (12 July 2011) "Aaarrancan... Pide Santiago Creel licencia", Reforma. Retrieved 6 September 2011.

Pre-candidates who withdrew from contest Javier Lozano Alarcón, Secretary of Labor from Puebla (withdrew 21 July 2011)(21 July 2011) , Milenio. Retrieved 6 September 2011.(21 July 2011) "Descarta Lozano ser gallo panista", Reforma. Retrieved 6 September 2011. Alonso Lujambio, Secretary of Public Education from Mexico City (withdrew 29 August 2011)(29 August 2011) "Lujambio declina su aspiración presidencial por el PAN", Excelsior. Retrieved 6 September 2011.(29 August 2011) "Declina Lujambio aspiración a ser candidato del PAN para 2012" , Milenio. Retrieved 6 September 2011. Emilio González Márquez, Governor of Jalisco (withdrew 22 September 2011)(22 September 2011) "Emilio González deja su búsqueda por la candidatura presidencial de Acción Nacional", Excelsior. Retrieved 22 September 2011(22 September 2011) "Declina Emilio aspiración a 2012"

On 5 February, Josefina Vázquez Mota was announced as PAN presidential candidate following her victory in the internal selection process.(5 February 2012) "Alcanza Vázquez Mota 55 por ciento de los votos: Espina" , PAN.org. Retrieved February 6, 2012. Vázquez Mota defeated Ernesto Cordero, who was considered to be favored by President Felipe Calderón, by an approximately 55% to 38% margin.

As coordinator of the PAN's parliamentary group in the Chamber of Deputies, Vázquez Mota's support among fellow deputies was partially credited for her victory. Her victory made her the first woman nominated for president by a major party in Mexico. CandidateVotes %Josefina Vázquez Mota264,50353.9%Ernesto Cordero190,72238.9%Santiago Creel29,8706.1%Note: Results represent vote with 96% of ballots counted

Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) Nomination

Nominee: Andrés Manuel López Obrador, former Head of Government of the Federal District from Tabasco.(19 August 2011) "Acepta AMLO encuesta para definir candidatura presidencial", Excélsior. Retrieved 6 September 2011.(25 July 2011) "Prepara AMLO su arranque presidencial", Reforma. Retrieved 6 September 2011.

Pre-candidates: Marcelo Ebrard, Head of Government of the Federal District (withdrew 15 November 2011)(15 November 2011) "Mexico – A Familiar Candidate", The New York Times. Retrieved 21 November 2011.(15 November 2011) "Lopez Obrador gets presidential nod from Mexico's left". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 November 2011.

Other pre-candidates:

Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Nomination

Nominee: Enrique Peña Nieto, former Governor of the State of Mexico(20 September 2011) "Mexico's Enrique Pena Nieto confirms election ambitions", BBC News. Retrieved 27 September 2011(21 September 2010) "Mexico's 2012 Presidential Favorite Announces Candidacy" , Fox News Latino. Retrieved 21 September 2012.

Pre-candidates: Manlio Fabio Beltrones, former Governor of Sonora (withdrew 21 November 2011)(22 November 2011) "Mexico senator won’t seek PRI’s presidential nomination, clearing way for Pena Nieto" . The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 November 2011(22 November 2011) "Mexican senator drops bid for PRI nomination" . Fox News Latino. Retrieved 22 November 2011.

New Alliance Party (PNA) Nomination

Nominee: Gabriel Quadri de la Torre

Opinion polls

DatePolling companyVázquez Mota(PAN)Peña Nieto(PRI-PVEM)López Obrador(PRD-MC-PT)Quadri(PANAL)RemarksNovember 2011Reforma25.0%49.0%26.0%–Unnominated PAN and PANAL candidates.Covarrubias y Asociados12.6%56.3%31%–February 2012Grupo Impacto Inteligente 360º 34.4%47.4%18.2%–Consulta Mitofsky29.5%48.5%21.0%1.0%Buendía & Laredo32.0%48.0%20.0%0.0%Covarrubias y Asociados27.2%42.3%30.2%0.3%Ipsos/Bimsa30%45%25%0.0%March 2012Uno TV/María de las Heras27.4%44.0%27.4%1.2%32.6%44.9%22.5%–PANAL's vote share not shownReforma 32.0%45.0%22.0%1.0%April 2012Uno TV/María de las Heras30.6%38.9%29.2%1.3%Carried out between 24 and 27 MarchOEM-Parametría25%51%23%1.0%BGC-Excélsior29%50%20%1.0%Carried out between 9 and 12 AprilGEA/ISA-Milenio27.9%48.5%22.7%0.9%El Universal/Buendía & Laredo22.9%54.3%21.4%1.4%Consulta Mitofsky26.9%50.1%22.3%0.7%Covarrubias y Asociados22.0%42.0%24.0%1.0%Published on 23 AprilBGC-Excelsior28.0%47.0%23.0%2.0%Carried out between 19 and 25 April OEM-Parametría26.0%49.0%24.0%1.0%Published on 30 April May 2012GEA/ISA-Milenio26.1%51.2%21.1%1.6%Published on 1 May Consulta Mitofsky28.0%48.0%23.0%1.0%El Sol de México/Parametría26.0%49.0%24.0%1%One week before the candidates' debateEl Universal/Buendía & Laredo22.9%54.3%21.4%1.4%Before the candidates' debateGEA/ISA-Milenio27.6%49.1%21.9%1.4%El Universal22.0%36.3%23.4%9.5%After the candidates' debateUno TV/María de la Heras17.98%16.85%31.46%17.98%El Universal/Buendía & Laredo(14 May 2012)"Rebasa AMLO a Vázquez Mota; Peña conserva ventaja" (in Spanish).Retrieved 22 May 201223.1%49.6%24.8%2.1%Covarrubias y Asociados(20 May 2012)title=Se cierra la elección. Peña Nieto líder. AMLO se acerca. JVM se estanca" (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 May 201226.0%40.0%30.0%4%Uno TV/María de las Heras(22 May 2012)"Amlo a 8 puntos de Peña. Encuesta María de las Heras"(in Spanish). Retrieved 22 May 201226.0%39.0%31.0%4.0%June 2012Reforma(31 May 2012) "EPN y AMLO empatados; JVM se desploma: Reforma" (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 June 2012.23%38%34%5%Mitofsky20.8%35.8%24.0%1.6%Berumen y asociados20.7%30.9%31.8%Not shownGross preferenceBGC-Excelsior28%42%28%2%Berumen y asociados18%33.4%27.3%1.5%Gross preferenceThe share of the undefined vote has been excluded from these polls

Allegations of media bias and Yo Soy 132 student protests

Mass protests have taken place in Mexico City against alleged bias towards PRI and Peña Nieto in the print and television media, particularly Televisa.

The movement Yo Soy 132 ("I am 132") formed in response to this perceived bias, with initial focus on Peña Nieto as the flagship of "corruption, tyranny and authoritarianism". On 11 May 2012, Peña Nieto visited Universidad Iberoamericana and was received with scorn. Both printed and televised media reported this as a minor mishap, called the students intolerant, and claimed that they had been paid by leftist organizations. In response, 131 students identified themselves on a YouTube video by their university IDs and stated that their actions were independent. This caused a ripple effect as many tweeted "I'm the 132nd student" in solidarity. Mass protests organized by public and private university students then took place across the country. The movement successfully demanded that, unlike the first debate, the second presidential debate be broadcast on national television, and has proposed a third debate to cover a broader scope of issues.

Claims of hacking In a 31 March 2016 article published by Bloomberg Business Week, a Colombian hacker named Andrés Sepúlveda claimed to have been paid US$600,000 by the PRI for hacking files (including phone calls, e-mails, and strategies) pertaining to the respective political campaigns of Peña Nieto's rivals, and also to manipulate social media to create fake news against his opponents with 30,000 fake Twitter accounts, creating fake trending topics and the perception of public enthusiasm toward Peña Nieto's campaign. On election day, Sepúlveda claimed to have been watching a live feed from Bogotá, Colombia and destroyed evidence right after Peña Nieto was declared winner. He said he was helped by a team of six hackers, which he led. The hacker is serving a 10-year prison sentence in Colombia for hacking crime, in favor of the election campaign of Óscar Iván Zuluaga.

Results President

Senate

Chamber of Deputies

Recount Following the elections, López Obrador demanded a full recount, claiming there had been widespread irregularities.Mexico faces partial recount in presidential election BBC News, 5 July 2012 The Federal Electoral Institute subsequently announced that there would be a partial recount, with presidential ballots from 78,012 of the 143,132 polling stations to be recounted, whilst ballots for the Congressional elections would be re-examined at two-thirds of polling stations. On 6 July after a partial recount of approximately 50% of the votes, the Federal Electoral Institute declared they had found anomalies but that Nieto still had majority and was confirmed as the winner with 38.2% of the popular vote.BBC News which officially has until 6 September to announce a winner.

Request to invalidate election