3.1%: The Share of Americans in Mexico Who Voted in 2022

The November 3 elections will decide all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats. For Americans living abroad, that contest arrives with specific logistical hurdles and political anxiety.

In Ajijic, a lakeside town in the Mexican state of Jalisco, between 8,000 and 10,000 foreign residents live. James Burns, a retiree who moved there from Arizona six years ago, says many neighbors have already mailed their ballots. The primary concerns for this community involve trade, tariffs, and the enforcement of immigration policies by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Voting from Mexico requires following procedures that change based on the state of registration. Organizations like Vote From Abroad assist residents in updating records and navigating specific state rules. Burns noted that these groups explained how to obtain ballots and comply with local election laws to ensure votes were counted.

Postal reliability presents a major barrier. Samuel McCree, a 45-year-old resident of Mexico City who moved from Salt Lake City two years ago, described the Mexican postal service as somewhat unreliable. To guarantee his ballot arrived on time, he handed his package to a visiting friend who mailed it from the United States.

McCree, whose mother is a member of the League of Women Voters, emphasized the need to protect democratic institutions. He stated that for a long time, Americans took democracy for granted, but now it requires active support.

A recent legal change adds to the complexity. The Trump administration modified the federal voting form for citizens abroad. The update removed the option for voters to identify as U.S. citizens who have never resided in the United States. This category includes individuals born abroad to U.S. citizens who may hold voting rights in certain states.

The Democratic National Committee has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget. The suit argues that the form change makes it harder for eligible voters to register and request ballots.

Bradley Narduzzi, a visual artist in his 50s who has voted from Mexico for 20 years, says this is the first time he has felt genuine uncertainty about the process. He travels frequently to Texas, where he observes people becoming more cautious in their speech and online presence.

Narduzzi attributes the current climate to political polarization and immigration debates. He noted that deportation policies and border control measures dominate both political discourse and private conversations among expats.

In 2022, the Federal Voting Assistance Program estimated that approximately 91,000 voting-age U.S. citizens lived in Mexico. Only an estimated 3.1% of those eligible voters participated in the midterms that year.