The Governor of Baja California represents the executive branch of the government of the state of Baja California, Mexico, per the state's constitution. The official title is "Free and Sovereign State of Baja California", and the position is democratically elected for a period of 6 years, and is not re-electable. From 1953 to 2019, the governor's term began November 1 of the year of the election and finishes October 31, six years later. To coincided with the federal elections, the law was changed, decreeing there would be an election in 2019, another in 2021, and yet another in 2024 before reverting to a six-year term.
History of the position
The present state of Baja California had its origin in 1888, when then President Porfirio Díaz, decreed the division of the Federal Territory of Baja California into two districts, north and south. The capital and most of the population of the old territory had been in the south, closer to the area's maritime passage. The north was mostly isolated by the sea and by the desert. As the population grew toward the end of the 19th century, the territory was divided into two districts. The initial capital of the North District was the port of Ensenada, and each one of the two districts remained governed by a political leader appointed by the territory, although officially they continued being territorial a single unit. The constitution of 1917 maintained the existence of the Federal Territory divided into two districts but changed the denomination of the Chief Executive into Governor, maintaining this division until 1931 when finally two independent Districts were formed from the Federal Territories. Finally in 1952, the northern territory became the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California; starting 1953 the governor was elected for a six-year term. The Constitution of Mexico was changed in the 2010s, demanding that gubernatorial elections coincide with presidential elections Thus in 2014 the law was changed so there would be an election in 2019 and another in 2021. Jaime Bonilla, who took office on November 15, 2019, argued that he had been elected for a five-year term, from November 1, 2019, to September 20, 2024. A referendum was held to extend his term to 2024, which passed with 82% of the vote but only 1.9% citizen participation. The legislature ratified the decision with the so-called Ley Bonilla in a 30-minute session. The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation in a unanimous decision nullified this law on May 11, 2020, meaning Bonilla′s term would expire in 2021 and his successor would serve from 2021 to 2024.
