Historic Mexican Elections Include Vote For New Baja California Governor

Speaker 1: 00:00 It's election time in Mexico and Baja, California we'll soon get a new governor KPBS reporter. Tanya thorn tells us about some of the candidates in how this election impact San Diego. Thousands of offices are at stake in Mexico's upcoming election. Almost half of the country will elect new governors. Christian Dunn, a representative for the more than a party says June six will be a historic day for Mexican citizens to go to the polls. Speaker 2: 00:28 This is the largest election in the history of Mexico because it's a concurrent election before local elections were held one year in federal elections. The next for the first time federal and local elections have been combined Speaker 1: 00:43 In Bucca, California, seven candidates are running for governor. Three of them are women. And I filed Fernandez, a casserole. The director of us Mexican studies at UC San Diego says three candidates are currently leading the polls. The Speaker 3: 00:57 One who is heading the polls is pillar, which is the candidate of, of marina, uh, the party power. And she is currently the mayor of Mexicali. Speaker 1: 01:10 Billund has been advocating for free drug rehabilitation, increased salaries for police forces and keeping an eye on crime by setting up 10,000 security cameras. Following bill out in the polls, his best candidate, Horeca Hank, Ron, who owns it. The one, a soccer team. Lowe's cholos at the Juana, as well as the largest sports betting company in Mexico. [inaudible] who is Speaker 3: 01:32 A very controversial figure in Tijuana in the entire Mexico. Speaker 1: 01:37 Hank Ron has been rumored to be a suspect and a variety of money laundering investigations. His campaign message has been about providing security education and development Fernandez at Castro says Hank. Ron may also be taking votes from another top three candidate. Well, people Speaker 3: 01:54 Say that he's basically dividing and just, uh, you're limiting the chances of the coalition between pan and pre, uh, who have what a loop at Jones. Dave, a former miss universe Speaker 1: 02:06 Originally from [inaudible] Jones doesn't have much political experience, but says, this is to her advantage. As she says, she is a true citizen candidate. She says she wants to create a model state for Baja, California, by creating a transparent government, stopping violence against women and connecting by California with the rest of the world. But [inaudible] says Baja, California could well be on its way to have the first woman governor, but voters first need to go out and vote. Speaker 3: 02:36 Unfortunately, embark California has a much lower turnout freight of borders, not in other states. Speaker 1: 02:43 Fernandez Castro says in the last governor election, only 29% of Baja, California voted in comparison. 64% of California voters participated in the 2018 gubernatorial election Speaker 2: 02:59 In this election. Our biggest rivals aren't the competing parties. It's getting people to go out and vote in gaining their trust. Speaker 1: 03:06 We asked Mexican citizens at the Sandy Cedar border if they were participating in the upcoming elections and everyone shared similar sentiments as Brian [inaudible], Speaker 2: 03:17 I don't plan on voting every time a new government takes off as everything stays the same. We don't see the change. Speaker 1: 03:24 Contra does works at an Amazon facility in Chula Vista and lives in the corner. Putting on does Augusta rule says this election will have an impact on San Diego. There's Speaker 3: 03:34 A very important integration happening here is not only on the economy is, is tourism is social. There's a lot of family Speaker 1: 03:44 Ties. He says the connection between the us and Mexico hasn't been taken advantage of due to poor government, but this election could shift that. And Speaker 3: 03:52 What are the personalities will ensure that California gets it has an order and profits and takes Avantor and planters have been next door to California. Again, the single richest state indigenous Speaker 1: 04:08 The elections will take place on Sunday, June six, the candidate with the most votes will become governor of bark, California on November 1st, Tonya thorn KPBS news.