The 2000 elections, July2

Right after the polls closed they dumped out all the ballots on the table and counted them in public for everyone to see.

I had been waiting for this since my first trip to Mexico years before. To see PRI lose. Voters have four identification checks before someone is allowed to cast a ballot. Each person has their picture on their voter registration card. This card also has their thumbprint. At each polling station there is a book the size of a phone book that has the picture of every registered voter in that "casilla" , precinct. Then the person signs their name and they mark ballots and place them in a box with clear plastic sides. This was the most amazing part of the whole day: right after the polls closed they dumped out all the ballots on the table and counted them in public for everyone to see. When it was announced that PAN took this precint A cheer went up and it seemed as if the whole county started to celebrate. All night the car horns and the singing. This picture was at the casilla in the main square in Cuernavaca, Morelos.

Guatemala / \ Teotihuacan / \ Monte Alban / \ Mexico / \ Tikal / \ Stonehenge / \ London / \ Big Bend / \ Yosemite