Some Americans Vote in Mexico's Elections Angela Kocherga - WFAA
go to original July 1, 2012

SAN MIGUEL de ALLENDE, Mexico — When voters in Mexico elect a new president on Sunday, some of those casting ballots will be Americans — dual citizens who live in Mexico.  

“I think it’s great that I’m now a Mexican citizen because I can actually contribute,” said Howard Haynes, a San Miguel resident since 1997.

San Miguel de Allende has long been a favorite with tourists, but hundreds of Americans also make their home in the colonial city.

“I’m still a little bit on the fence for the presidential nominee, but I know who I’m voting for mayor of San Miguel.," said Dan Scher, who moved to San Miguel in 1994. He owns a bed-and-breakfast perched on a hill overlooking the city known for its pink granite cathedral.

“My issue at the end of the day is getting control of organized crime in this country,” said Warren Hardy, who moved to San Miguel  21 years ago.  Hardy owns a language school that is popular with Americans, especially Texans who used to drive down during the summer.

Tranquil San Miguel with its cobblestone streets, art galleries and boutiques has not experienced the drug violence that has plagued other regions. Even so, tourism is down as many Americans avoid traveling to Mexico altogether.

“My vote is driven toward a party that has the power and the ability and the teeth to stop this violence in Mexico,” said Hardy who plans to vote for Enrique Pena Nieto of the PRI party.

Haynes also favors Pena Nieto. Scher said he’s undecided, but leaning toward Josefina Vaquez Mota, the  conservative PAN party candidate.

“The PAN now has been in power for 12 years and they’ve done an amazing job with taking Mexico business to the next level. Mexico is one of the most solid financial countries in the world now,” said Scher.

Mexico is a top trading partner for the U.S., and Texas’ number-one trading partner. “Whatever happens here on Sunday is far more important to the United States than I think anybody understands, because we’re going to be dealing with so many issues," Scher said.

None of the three Americans mentioned Andres Manual Lopez Obrador of the leftist PRD party, who  narrowly lost Mexico's 2006 presidential election.

The next president of Mexico will have to cope with a drug war that has claimed nearly 60,000 lives during the Calderon administration. It will also need to create jobs and work with congress to pass critical legislation, including energy reform.

Even so, these “American Mexicans” remain hopeful about their adoptive country’s future.

“Now I am truly an American and a Mexican patriot, and I have huge hope and confidence in the future of Mexico,” Hardy said. “I think it’s an up and coming, growing nation that’s going to become more and more powerful as a country.”  

akocherga@belo.com

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