The beaming face of this longtime rights activist and current adviser to the Federal Electoral Institute now adorns an unofficial United States postage stamp. In August, Raúl Ross, a Chicagoan who fought alongside Rodríguez to secure the right for Mexicans abroad to vote in Mexico, persuaded a private vendor authorized by the U.S. Postal Service to print 1,000 customized stamps featuring his colleague's face.

Last June, Congress voted to allow expatriate Mexicans to vote in the July 2, 2006, presidential election, but now, a month after the registration process was launched, only about 1,500 Mexicans abroad have registered to cast ballots.

The new stamp is part of an effort by immigrants in the United States to publicize the vote among expatriates, who will be allowed to vote by mail-in ballot. Organizers also hope it will ease mistrust between immigrants and Mexico's post office.

The low registration numbers prompted Mexico's Federal Electoral Institute, or IFE, to set up 15 special registration centers along Mexico's border with the U.S. and elsewhere, to try to generate more interest among expatriates returning home. IFE also is enlisting celebrities, including Los Tigres del Norte, Lila Downs, Carlos Santana and the Tejano singer Ramón Ayala, to do TV and radio spots in key U.S. cities, including Dallas.

"No question," Rodríguez said. "The IFE needs to redouble its publicity and promotional efforts. And we will do that."

More than 10 million of Mexico's population of 105 million are believed to be living in the United States, with thousands more in other countries such as Canada, Spain and France.

As many as 4.2 million Mexicans are eligible to cast mail-in ballots