public security forces for 90 days previous to the election Candidates cannot have citizenship in any country other than Mexico State legislature Members of the state legislature (Legislatura del Estado) are elected to three-year terms. Forty-five seats are apportioned in direct elections in single-member districts and 30 are apportioned via proportional appointments. Political parties nominate their candidates for proportional appointments before the election. For a party to be eligible for proportional-appointment seats they must run candidates in at least 30 districts and receive at least 3% of the vote throughout the state. Deputies can serve up to four consecutive terms. Similar to the federal Chamber of Deputies, a party cannot have more than 8% more seats in the legislature than their percentage of state-wide votes (e.g., to win 50% of the legislative seats, a party must win at least 42% of the vote statewide) unless that excess was earned in the direct elections. To be a deputy of the legislature: State-born candidates must have been a resident for one year previous to the election Mexicans born outside of the state must have been residents for three years previous to the election Candidates must be at least 21 years old Candidates cannot have been a minister of any religion for five years previous to the election Candidates cannot have worked for any election commission for two years previous to the election Candidates cannot have been a sitting municipal or federal legislator for 90 days previous to the election Candidates cannot have been a sitting judge for 90 days previous to the election Candidates cannot have been in the military or a head of public security forces for 90 days previous to the election Candidates cannot be a sitting governor Political parties Mexico has a multi-party system, with three dominant political parties. Prior to 2000 Mexico had a dominant-party system under the Institutional Revolutionary Party, and a number of smaller opposition parties. Alliances and coalitions are common: normally, they are local (state) affairs and involve one of the big three and any number of minor parties, though in extraordinary occasions two of the big three will ally themselves against the third (e.g., 2003 Colima state election or 2004 Chihuahua state election). Voter eligibility In order to be able to vote, all Mexican citizens must obtain a photographic voter identification card from the National Electoral Institute (Instituto Nacional Electoral [INE]). To receive a