The Overseas Voting Line That Began at 3:30 A.M.

On 2 June 2024, hundreds of Mexican citizens queued at consulates across the United States to vote in Mexico's presidential election. In Dallas, some people began waiting at 3:30 a.m. Long lines were also reported in San Francisco, San Diego and Fresno. In Houston, voters described a line extending roughly three-quarters of a mile down the street, with people waiting for hours in places with little shade.

Citizens abroad could also vote by mail or online, but in-person voting required identity checks and processing at electronic voting stations. Attendance exceeded expectations. Dallas had places for registered voters and additional spaces for people who had not registered in advance, yet some still left without casting a ballot.

Crossing a border did not make the vote effortless. The right to take part in a national election had to pass through a limited network of consulates—and through the long physical order outside their doors.