Puerto Rico Statehood, Independence, or Free Association Referendum (2024)
| Puerto Rico Statehood, Independence, or Free Association Referendum | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 5, 2024 | |
| Topic Statehood | |
| Status | |
| Type State statute | Origin State legislature |
The Puerto Rico Statehood, Independence, or Free Association Referendum was on the ballot in Puerto Rico as a legislatively referred statute on November 5, 2024. A majority of voters selected statehood among the three options.
The ballot measure asked voters to choose one of three options:
| A vote for statehood supported the admission of Puerto Rico as the 51st state of the United States of America. |
| A vote for independence supported becoming an independent sovereign nation. |
| A vote for sovereignty in free association with the United States supported making Puerto Rico a sovereign nation outside the Territory Clause of the U.S. Constitution and entering into Articles of Free Association with the United States and delegating certain powers and responsibilities to the United States. |
Election results
| Puerto Rico Statehood, Independence, or Free Association Referendum | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| 615,868 | 58.48% | |||
| 309,112 | 29.35% | |||
| 128,162 | 12.17% | |||
- Election results from Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico
Overview
What did the referendum do?
The ballot measure asked voters to choose one of the following three options for Puerto Rico's political status:[1]
- (A) Statehood;
- (B) Independence; or
- (C) Sovereignty in free association with the United States.
The different options were as follows; however, the results of the referendum were nonbinding because any changes to Puerto Rico’s statehood require action by the United States Congress.
- Statehood: This was a vote in favor of Puerto Rico to become the 51st state to join the United States. Statehood would give Puerto Rico the same rights as other states, representation in the United States Congress, and the ability to vote for President. Residents of Puerto Rico would be required to pay federal personal income tax.
- Independence: This was a vote in favor of Puerto Rico to become an independent sovereign nation and would create its own constitution. The country would develop its own government and economy. Puerto Ricans who are residents of the island would retain citizenship, though children born after Puerto Rico's independence would not be considered U.S. citizens.
- Free Association: This was a vote in favor of Puerto Rico to become a sovereign nation outside the Territory Clause of the U.S. Constitution. However, the island would maintain a free and voluntary political association with the United States. An agreement of free association would delegate certain powers, typically those regarding military, trade, and currency, to the U.S. federal government. U.S. citizenship would be granted to those born to at least one parent who is U.S. citizen, though birth in Puerto Rico would cease to be a basis for U.S. citizenship and nationality.[2]
What was Puerto Rico's political status going into the election?
- See also: Status of Puerto Rico in the U.S.
Puerto Rico citizens are citizens of the United States. Puerto Rico did not have representation with voting privileges in the United States Congress nor the ability to vote for President in general elections. However, Puerto Ricans could vote for a resident commissioner to the U.S. House of Representatives. The resident commissioner was permitted to introduce legislation and vote on committees.
When did Puerto Rico last vote on a statehood referendum?
- See also: Referendums
Puerto Rico voted on ballot measures addressing statehood in 1967, 1993, 1998, 2012, 2017, and 2020.
Puerto Rico last voted on a statehood referendum in 2020 in which voters were asked if Puerto Rico should become a state. The measure was approved with 52% in favor of statehood. As the ballot measure was approved, the governor was authorized to appoint a seven-member commission to represent Puerto Rico in matters and negotiations related to achieving statehood. The commission was organized to develop a transition plan, which the governor could approve or reject, and present the plan to Congress and the President.
Text of measure
Full text
The full text of the ballot measure is available here.
Support
Supporters
Officials
- Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia (New Progressive Party)
Arguments
Opposition
Ballotpedia did not locate a campaign in opposition to the ballot measure.
Background
Status of Puerto Rico in the U.S.
Puerto Rico was incorporated into the United States in 1898, following the Spanish–American War. The federal government recognized the territory's governance over internal matters in 1950, and the island adopted a constitution and republican form of government in 1952. As of 2020, no changes in political status had occurred since the 1950s. Under the Territory Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Congress has jurisdiction over Puerto Rico.[3]
Citizens of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States. Puerto Rico does not have representation with voting privileges in the United States Congress nor the ability to vote for President in general elections. However, Puerto Ricans do vote for a resident commissioner to the U.S. House of Representatives. The resident commissioner is permitted to introduce legislation and vote on committees.[4]
Referendums
Puerto Rico voted on ballot measures addressing statehood in 1967, 1993, 1998, 2012, and 2017. The results in each referendum election were as follows:
| Referendums of Puerto Rico's political status | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Commonwealth | Statehood | Free association | Independence | None of the above |
| 1967 | 60.41% | 38.98% | *** | 0.60% | *** |
| 1993 | 48.89% | 46.64% | *** | 4.47% | *** |
| 1998 | 0.06% | 46.63% | 0.29% | 2.55% | 50.46% |
| 2012[5] | *** | 61.16% | 33.34% | 5.49% | *** |
| 2017[6] | 1.32% | 97.18% | *** | ||
| 2020 | *** | 52.52% | *** | *** | 47.48% |
1967
On July 23, 1967, Puerto Ricans were given three options at the ballot box on the island's political status. The United States Congress sanctioned the referendum.[8] The option to remain a commonwealth of the United States received 60.4 percent of the vote, while statehood received 39.0 percent and independence received 0.6 percent.[9]
1993
The second vote on the territory's political status was on November 14, 1993. Former Presidents George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Gerald R. Ford participated in the campaign for statehood.[10] President Bill Clinton remained neutral on the referendum.[11] A plurality of voters, 48.9 percent, favored remaining as a commonwealth. Statehood received 46.6 percent of the vote, while independence received 4.5 percent.[12]
1998
The third vote on Puerto Rico's relationship to the United States occurred on December 13, 1998. This time voters were given five options: territorial commonwealth, free association, statehood, independence, and none of the above. The option none of the above received the highest proportion of votes at 50.5 percent. Statehood received the next highest proportion of votes at 46.6 percent. Independence received 2.6 percent, and free association received 0.3 percent. Puerto Rico's status as a commonwealth received 0.1 percent of the vote.[13] Opponents of the referendum, including the Popular Democratic Party (PDP), advocated for none of the above, saying the ballot language for the commonwealth option was misleading.[14]
2012
On November 6, 2012, Puerto Rico held a fourth vote on the island's territorial status. The referendum was structured as two questions. The first question asked was, "Do you agree that Puerto Rico should continue to have its present form of territorial status?" A total of 54.3 percent rejected continuing Puerto Rico's territorial status. As a majority rejected the first question, results for the second question were counted. The second question asked voters about their preferred non-territorial status: statehood, free association, or independence.[15] Statehood received a majority of the vote, 61.2 percent, at the for the first time in the territory's history.[16] The option of free association received 33.3 percent, and independence received 5.5 percent.[17] While 1,798,987 people voted on the first question, 1,363,854 people voted on the second question, meaning that almost a quarter of first-question voters cast blank ballots on the second question.[18][19] Jay Carney, spokesperson for former President Barack Obama and the White House, said, "I think the outcome was a little less clear than that because of the process itself."[20]
2017
On June 11, 2017, Puerto Rico voted on a political status referendum, which gave voters three options: (a) current territorial status; (b) statehood; and (c) free association/independence. The option Statehood received 97.18 percent of the vote. The Popular Democratic Party, which had the second-largest caucus in the territorial Legislature, boycotted the election.[21] Turnout was 22.93 percent.[22]
Gov. Ricardo A. Rosselló, who supported the statehood option, reacted to the results, saying, "From today going forward, the federal government will no longer be able to ignore the voice of the majority of the American citizens in Puerto Rico."[23] Gov. Rosselló then implemented a plan, modeled on the Tennessee Plan, intended to encourage Congress to vote on Puerto Rican statehood.[24]
Former Gov. Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, a member of the Popular Democratic Party, noted that voter turnout was low and said, "A 97 percent win is the kind of result you get in a one-party regime. Washington will laugh in their faces."[23]
2020
- See also: Puerto Rico Statehood Referendum (2020)
On November 3, 2020, Puerto Rico voted on a statehood referendum that asked voters the following: "Should Puerto Rico be immediately admitted into the Union as a state?" Voters had the option to answer "Yes" or "No."[25]
As the ballot measure was approved, the governor was authorized to appoint a seven-member commission to represent Puerto Rico in matters and negotiations related to achieving statehood. The commission was organized to develop a transition plan, which the governor could approve or reject, and present the plan to Congress and the President.
The ballot measure could not compel the U.S. Congress to act on the issue of Puerto Rico's political status.
Path to the ballot
The ballot measure was placed on the ballot through an executive order of the Governor of Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia, of the New Progressive Party.
Following the statehood referendum vote in 2020, the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly passed Act 165-2020. Act 165-2020 authorized the governor to call for a ballot measure election to determine Puerto Rico's political status.[26]
See also
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Footnotes
- ↑ Government of Puerto Rico, "2024 Plebiscite Ballot Measure Election," accessed July 9, 2024
- ↑ U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, "Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Palau," accessed February 7, 2017
- ↑ Congressional Research Service, "Political Status of Puerto Rico: Options for Congress," June 7, 2011
- ↑ United Nations, "Special Committee on Decolonization Approves Text Calling upon United States Government to Expedite Self-Determination Process for Puerto Rico," June 20, 2016
- ↑ Note: These results are from the second question of a two-question referendum. About one quarter of voters who voted on the first question cast blank ballots on the second question.
- ↑ The Popular Democratic Party boycotted the referendum election, which featured voter turnout of 22.93 percent.
- ↑ The ballot question treated free association and independence as the same option. If the option had prevailed with a majority of the vote, a second question would have asked voters to decide between the two.
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Puerto Rico’s Status Debate Continues As Island Marks 61 Years As A Commonwealth," July 25, 2013
- ↑ Consulta de Resultados, "Plebiscito de Status del 23 de julio de 1967," accessed February 6, 2017
- ↑ New York Times, "3 Ex-Presidents Join the Debate On Puerto Rico," November 13, 1993
- ↑ New York Times, "Puerto Rico Votes to Retain Status as Commonwealth," November 15, 1993
- ↑ Consulta de Resultados, "Plebiscito de Status del 14 de noviembre de 1993," accessed February 6, 2017
- ↑ Consulta de Resultados, "Plebiscito de Status del 13 de diciembre de 1998," accessed February 6, 2017
- ↑ New York Times, "Puerto Rico Rallies to Vote On Shift in Political Status," December 12, 1998
- ↑ Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico, "Papeleta Modelo," accessed February 6, 2017
- ↑ CNN, "Puerto Ricans favor statehood for first time," November 8, 2012
- ↑ Comision Estatal de Elecciones, "Elecciones Generales 2012 y Consulta sobre el Estatus Político de Puerto Rico," accessed February 6, 2017
- ↑ Washington Post, "Puerto Rico gov approves referendum in quest for statehood," February 3, 2017
- ↑ ABC News, "Puerto Rico Statehood Experts Challenge Results," November 8, 2012
- ↑ NBC Latino, "White House: Puerto Rico status position ‘not clear’ from plebiscite," December 3, 2012
- ↑ Caribbean Business, "PDP Approves Status Referendum Boycott," April 23, 2017
- ↑ Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico, "Resultados Isla," accessed June 14, 2017
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 New York Times, "23% of Puerto Ricans Vote in Referendum, 97% of Them for Statehood," June 11, 2017
- ↑ The Hill, "Puerto Rico swears in congressional delegation," August 15, 2017
- ↑ Senado de Puerto Rico, "P. del S. 1467," accessed May 18, 2020
- ↑ Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly, "Act 165-2020," accessed July 9, 2024
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