Yucatán is a state in southeastern Mexico that is divided into 106 municipalities, organized into 7 administrative regions. According to the 2020 Mexican census, it is the twenty-second most populated state with inhabitants and the 20th largest by land area spanning 39524.4km2.[1] [2]
Municipalities in Yucatán are administratively autonomous of the state according to the 115th article of the 1917 Constitution of Mexico.[3] Every three years, citizens elect a municipal president (Spanish: presidente municipal) by a plurality voting system who heads a concurrently elected municipal council (ayuntamiento) responsible for providing all the public services for their constituents. The municipal council consists of a variable number of trustees and councillors (regidores y síndicos).[4] Municipalities are responsible for public services (such as water and sewerage), street lighting, public safety, traffic, and the maintenance of public parks, gardens and cemeteries.[5] They may also assist the state and federal governments in education, emergency fire and medical services, environmental protection and maintenance of monuments and historical landmarks. Since 1984, they have had the power to collect property taxes and user fees, although more funds are obtained from the state and federal governments than from their own income.
The largest municipality by population is Mérida, with 995,129 residents (42.87% of the state's total), while the smallest is Quintana Roo with 976 residents. The largest municipality by land area is Tizimín which spans 3884.8km2, and the smallest is Sanahcat with 26.2km2. The newest municipality is Chikindzonot, established in 1957.[6]