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Puerto Rico Statehood, Independence, Free Association, or Current Status Referendum (2017)

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Puerto Rico Statehood, Independence, Free Association, or Current Status Referendum
Flag of Puerto Rico.png
Election date
June 11, 2017
Topic
Statehood
Status
Approveda Approved
Type
State statute		Origin
State legislature

The Puerto Rico Statehood, Independence, Free Association, or Current Status Referendum was on the ballot in Puerto Rico as a legislatively referred state statute on June 11, 2017. The ballot measure was referred to as the Plebiscite of Puerto Rico's Status.[1][2][3] Voters approved the statehood option.

The measure was designed as a possible two-part referendum, with the first question asked on June 11, 2017. As the statehood option prevailed on June 11, 2017, the second question of independence or free association was not put on the ballot on October 8, 2017. The options on June 11 were as follows:[1]

A vote for statehood supported requesting the admission of Puerto Rico as a state of the United States of America.
A vote for free association/independence supported requesting free association with the U.S. or independence from the U.S.
A vote for current territorial status supported maintaining Puerto Rico's existing political status as subject to the Territory Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

As the option of statehood prevailed on June 11, 2017, with a majority of the votes[4], the governor designated a Transition Committee to represent Puerto Rico in negotiations with the federal government over the statehood process.[1] The result of the referendum did not bind Congress to take action.

Aftermath

Reactions

Puerto Rican officials

Gov. Ricardo A. Rosselló, a member of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party, said, "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."[5] Gov. Rosselló planned to implement a Tennessee Plan to encourage Congress to vote on Puerto Rican statehood.

Former Gov. Aníbal Acevedo Vilá, a member of the pro-commonwealth Popular Democratic Party, pointed to voter turnout and said, "A 97 percent win is the kind of result you get in a one-party regime. Washington will laugh in their faces."[5]

Federal officials

On June 12, 2017, a journalist asked Sean Spicer, the White House Press Secretary, the following: "Does the President have a reaction to the vote in Puerto Rico yesterday -- the nonbinding measure calling for statehood as the first choice of the people for their future?" Spicer responded, "This matter is something that's going to be determined now that the people have spoken in Puerto Rico. This is something that Congress has to address. So the process will have to work its way out through Congress."[6]

Tennessee plan commission

See also: Tennessee Plan

On August 15, 2017, the seven-member commission was sworn in to attempt what has been called the Tennessee Plan. The Commission consisted of five members selected to attempt to achieve positions as U.S. Representatives and two selected to attempt to serve as U.S. Senators. Former Governor Pedro Rosselló González, Gov. Rosselló's father, was made the chair of the commission.[7]

Zoraida Fonalledas, a member of the Puerto Rico Republican Party National Committee, and former Governor Carlos Romero Barceló (D) were selected to seek positions in the U.S. Senate.[7]

The following Puerto Ricans were selected to seek positions in the U.S. House of Representatives:[7]

  • Former Gov. Rosselló González (D),
  • Former Gov. Luis Fortuño (R),
  • Former Puerto Rico Senate President Charles Rodríguez (D),
  • Retired Army Maj. Gen. Félix Santoni (R), and
  • Iván “Pudge” Rodríguez (I), a former MLB player

Election results

Statehood, Independence, Free Association, or Current Status Referendum
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Statehood 502,801 97.18%
Defeatedd Free Association/Independence 7,786 1.50%
Defeatedd Current Territorial Status 6,823 1.32%
Election results from Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico

Turnout

This referendum election featured voter turnout of 22.93 percent. There were 2,260,804 registered voters at the time of the election. Ballots were cast by 518,394 voters.[8]

Overview

Status of Puerto Rico in the U.S.

Puerto Rico became part of the United States in 1898. The territory is often described as a commonwealth of the U.S. Scholars debate whether this status title has legal significance. Residents of the island are U.S. citizens, but cannot elect federal representatives with voting privileges or the President. Residents do elect delegates in presidential primaries and send a resident commissioner to Congress. Puerto Rico does not have the same rights as states do in relation to the federal government. Congress has ultimate jurisdiction over the territory.[9][10]

U.S. Department of Justice and changes to the referendum

On April 17, 2017, Senate Bill 427 was introduced to amend the referendum to include the option of current territorial status. The legislative assembly passed the bill on April 19, 2017.[2] The governor signed the bill on April 19, 2017.[11] Prior to April 19, part one of the referendum contained the options of statehood and free association/independence, but not current territorial status. The change occurred in reaction to a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice. On April 13, 2017, the territorial governor received a letter from Dana Boente, Deputy Attorney General of the Department of Justice, regarding the referendum. Boente said, “The Department has determined that multiple considerations preclude it from notifying Congress that it approves of the plebiscite ballot and obligating the funds.” The funds that Boente referenced are $2.5 million authorized by Congress in 2014 for “objective, nonpartisan voter education about, and a plebiscite on, options that would resolve Puerto Rico’s future political status.”[12] Boente also said the referendum “should include the current territorial status as an option.”[13]

Referendums on Puerto Rico's political status

Voters addressed Puerto Rico's political status via ballot measures in 1967, 1993, 1998, and 2012. The measure in 2012 featured two questions. The first one asked whether the island's political status should change, and 54.3 percent of voters agreed. The second question asked about three non-territorial statuses: statehood, free association, and independence.[14] Over 60 percent voted for statehood.[15] However, a quarter of those who voted on the first question cast blank ballots on the second question, leading some to conclude that voter preference was unclear.[16][17] Congress did not take any actions in response to the referendum.[18]

Text of measure

Ballot question

Part 1

The question that was on the ballot for June 11, 2017, was as follows:[19][2]

Referendum on June 11, 2017 (English)
“ Plebiscite of Puerto Rico's Status

Statehood

With my ‬vote, I reiterate ‬my request to ‬the ‬Federal‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Government to immediately begin the process for the decolonization of Puerto Rico with the admission of Puerto Rico as a state of the United States of America. ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬I am aware that the result of this request for Statehood would ‬entail ‬equal ‬ ‬rights ‬and ‬ duties ‬ with ‬ the ‬other‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ states‬, and ‬the ‬permanent ‬union of‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Puerto Rico with the United States of America. I am also aware that my vote claiming Statehood means my support to all effort towards the admission of Puerto Rico as a state of the Union, and to all state or federal legislation aimed at establishing equal conditions, congressional representation and the presidential vote for the American citizens of Puerto Rico.

Free Association/Independence

With my vote, I make the initial request to the Federal Government to begin the process of the decolonization through: (1) Free Association: Puerto Rico should adopt a status outside of the Territory Clause of the Constitution of the United States that recognizes the sovereignty of the People of Puerto Rico as a complete and unencumbered Independence. The Free Association would be based on a free and voluntary political association, the specific terms of which shall be agreed upon between the United States and Puerto Rico as sovereign nations. Such agreement would provide the scope of the jurisdictional powers that the People of Puerto Rico agree to confer to the United States and retain all other jurisdictional powers and authorities; (2) Proclamation of Independence, I demand that the United States Government, in the exercise of its power to dispose of territory, recognize the national sovereignty of Puerto Rico as a completely independent nation and that the United States Congress enact the necessary legislation to initiate the negotiation and transition to the independent nation of Puerto Rico. My vote for Independence also represents my claim to the rights, duties, powers, and prerogatives of independent and democratic republics, my support of Puerto Rican citizenship, and a "Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation" between Puerto Rico and the United States after the transition process.

Current Territorial Status

With my vote, I express my wish that Puerto Rico remains, as it is today, subject to the powers of the Congress and subject to the Territory Clause of the United States Constitution that in Article IV, Section 3 states: “The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State”.[20]

”

Part 2

Part 2 of the referendum did not occur because the statehood option prevailed on June 11, 2017. If the option of free association or independence won on June 11 with a majority of the vote, a second election would have been held on October 8, 2017, addressing whether Puerto Rico should seek free association with the U.S. or independence from the U.S.[1]

The question that would have appeared on the ballot for October 8, 2017, is as follows:[21][2]

Support for statehood option

Supporters

Arguments

“ Colonialism is not an option for Puerto Rico. It's a civil rights issue ... The time will come in which the United States has to respond to the demands of 3.5 million citizens seeking an absolute democracy.[20] ”
  • Carlos Johnny Mendez-Nunez, Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, stated:[23]
“ For more than a century, the U.S. citizens living in Puerto Rico have been marginalized by geography and political considerations that have left us with what amounts to a second-class citizenship. There is a plethora of examples of this discrimination.[20] ”

Boycott of referendum

Puerto Rico's political party with the second largest number of representatives in the legislature, the Popular Democratic Party, approved a resolution for a boycott on April 23, 2017.[24]

Boycotters

Organizations

Officials

Individuals

  • Rafael Bernabe Riefkohl, professor and former candidate for governor[27]

Arguments

  • TerritorialRep. Luis Vega Ramos (PDP) said the referendum should be boycotted because the U.S. Department of Justice and Congress had not validated the ballot measure.[31]
  • Rep. Luis Raúl Torres Cruz (PDP) said that the referendum was an attempt to distract people from the territory's budget problems.[31]
  • Sen. Jose Nadal Power (PDP) said, "This Sunday's plebiscite wastes millions of dollars and is not a good use of the time and energy we must devote to solving the fiscal and economic crisis of Puerto Rico. It lacks the backing of the United States federal government and comes at the worst possible time to solicit political concessions from Congress."[32]

Reactions of U.S. mainland officials

U.S. senators

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R) of Florida encouraged Puerto Ricans to participate in the referendum, saying:[33]

“ This Sunday, U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico will have the opportunity to express their preference on the future political status of the island[.] I encourage all voters on the island to participate in this plebiscite to communicate the will of the people to local and national leaders.[20] ”

U.S. representatives

U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-7) of Florida said she hoped that the statehood option would prevail. She stated:[34]

“ Because Puerto Rico is a territory, the people of Puerto Rico cannot vote for their president and commander-in-chief, and do not have a vote in Congress. This lack of democratic rights is unacceptable. As Puerto Ricans head to the polls on June 11, I will be watching with great interest. As I have stated before, I believe Puerto Rico should discard its territory status and become a state or a sovereign nation. The choice lies with the people of Puerto Rico. My personal hope is that they will choose statehood, so they have full voting rights and full equality in the nation they have served with honor.[20] ”

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-27) of Florida urged Puerto Ricans to vote in the referendum, stating:[33][35]

“ On June 11, Puerto Ricans have the opportunity to work together on the future political status of Puerto Rico, through the proposed plebiscite that as amended offers them to choose between statehood, independence/free association, and the current territorial status. I urge all those eligible and registered voters to vote.[20] ”

U.S. Rep. Darren Soto (D-9) of Florida said he would support the result of the referendum. He stated:[36]

“ The decision on Puerto Rico’s ultimate political status has to come from the people, and it’s not my place to try to tell them how to vote. Yet as a Member of the U.S. Congress from Florida, representing a district with a large Puerto Rican population, and being of Puerto Rican heritage myself, I take great interest in the issue. I encourage my fellow citizens from Puerto Rico to participate in the plebiscite and I will strongly support its outcome.[20] ”

U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-26) of Florida did not take a position on the referendum, but said he encouraged participation. He stated:[37]

“ Elections are the cornerstone of our American democracy and voter participation is our opportunity as individuals to uphold the values of freedom and liberty. As our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico approach the unique opportunity to vote on the fundamental question of Puerto Rico’s future political status, I encourage all citizens to participate in this plebiscite on June 11 so their voices can be heard.[20] ”

U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy (R-7) of Wisconsin also encouraged participation in the referendum, saying:[38][39]

“ For the people of Puerto Rico to continue to overcome their current challenges, it is critical that they make their voices heard about the future of Puerto Rico. That is why I urge all voters on the island to come out to vote in the June 11 plebiscite.[20] ”

U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-7) of New York was born in Puerto Rico. She described the referendum as political theater. She said:[40]

“ It has also called for a nonbinding plebiscite on the status of Puerto Rico’s political relationship with the United States, costing taxpayers an estimated $10 million, but lacking the endorsement of federal authorities that would need to take action on the results. Such moves cost the island’s residents real money and will achieve nothing more than an act of political theater.[20] ”

U.S. Rep. Don Young (R) of Alaska said he encouraged participation, stating:[41][42]

“ As Alaska's only representative, our second most recent state, I know and deeply appreciate the kind of deliberation and debate that comes with deciding whether to seek statehood or not. It is for this reason that I have worked with the people of Puerto Rico for a long time on the issues that arise from the territorial status of the island. I firmly believe in Puerto Rico's right to self-determination and that its residents deserve the opportunity to decide their political future and their relationship with the federal government.[20] ”

U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-3) of New Jersey stated:[41]

“ On June 11, the people of Puerto Rico will have the opportunity to make themselves heard to decide the future of their island.[20] ”

Polls

See also: 2017 ballot measure polls

Between May 24, 2017, and May 26, 2017, the newspaper El Nuevo Día surveyed 966 registered voters on the referendum. The newspaper found the statehood option ahead with 52 percent. Members of the generally pro-statehood PNP favored statehood with 93 percent. Members of the generally pro-commonwealth PPD favored the other options, with 38 percent supporting the current territorial status and 34 percent supporting the free association or independence option.[43]

Puerto Rico Political Status Referendum (2017)
Poll Statehood Free Association/IndependenceCurrent Territorial StatusUndecidedAbstainMargin of errorSample size
El Nuevo Día Poll
5/24/2017 - 5/26/2017		 52.0%15.0%17.0%7.0%9.0%+/-3.2966
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

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 2017, 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.[9]

Puerto Rico's current status is often described as commonwealth. Whether this status has legal significance is debated, with some viewing commonwealth as a status between territory and state and others viewing commonwealth as a stylistic term with no legal significance. Citizens of Puerto Rico are citizens of the United States, but do not have representation with voting privileges in the United States Congress nor the right to vote for President.[10] However, Puerto Ricans do participate in electing delegates in presidential primaries and send a resident commissioner to Congress. The resident commissioner is permitted to introduce legislature and vote on House committees. In June 2016, the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization called on the U.S. to “move forward with a process to allow the Puerto Rican people to take decisions in a sovereign manner…”[44]

Possible future statuses

The Statehood, Independence, Free Association, or Current Status Referendum of 2017 contained options for statehood, free association, independence, and the commonwealth status quo. Definitions of these different possible political statuses for the island are below:[1][9][10]

  • Commonwealth: This was Puerto Rico's status as of 2017. Scholars debate whether commonwealth has a specific legal meaning or is just stylistic. The status is based on the territory's constitution and federal statutes. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, but cannot vote for federal representatives with voting privileges. The island does not have the same rights as the states do in relation to the federal government. Congress has ultimate jurisdiction over Puerto Rico.
  • Statehood: Puerto Rico would become the 51st state to join the United States. The change in status from commonwealth to state would be irreversible once complete unless the U.S. Constitution is changed to allow Puerto Rico to secede.[45] Statehood would provide Puerto Rico with the same rights as other states, representation in the United States Congress, and ability to vote for President. Residents of Puerto Rico would be required to pay federal personal income tax.
  • Free Association: Puerto Rico would 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 subject to negotiation in developing the agreement. The Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau, all former jurisdictions of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, are sovereign nations in free association with the United States.[46]
  • Independence: Puerto Rico would become an independent sovereign nation. The country would develop its own government and economy. Puerto Ricans who are residents of the island would lose citizenship, at least in the long-term.

Political parties

In Puerto Rico, the three political parties with elected representatives in 2017 each take a different position on the question of the island's relationship to the United States. Prior to the election on November 8, 2016, the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) controlled the legislature and governorship. PDP generally takes the position of maintaining or enhancing the territory's commonwealth status. Following the election on November 8, 2016, the New Progressive Party (NPP) captured the legislature and governorship. NPP generally takes a pro-statehood position. In 2017, the Independence Party (PIP) held one seat in each legislative chamber. PIP generally takes a pro-independence position. The Puerto Rico Statehood, Independence, or Free Association Referendum of 2017 was referred to the ballot along partisan lines, with NPP approving the measure and PDP and PIP rejecting the measure. The parties are not affiliated with U.S.-mainland parties, such as the Democratic Party and Republican Party, although individual members may be affiliated. A summary of the three political parties with members in the legislative assembly is as follows:[10][47][48]

  • Popular Democratic Party (PDP) is typically associated with a pro-commonwealth position.
  • New Progressive Party (NPP) is typically associated with a pro-statehood position.
  • Independence Party (PIP) is typically associated with a pro-independence position.

2016 convention platforms

At the Republican National Convention in 2016, a 112-member committee drafted the party's political platform. The platform contained a section regarding Puerto Rico, which stated, "We support the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state."[49] A 15-person subcommittee developed the Democratic Party's platform. Like the Republican platform, the Democratic platform addressed Puerto Rico. The platform said that many of the island's challenges "stem from the fundamental question of Puerto Rico’s political status," and "Democrats believe that the people of Puerto Rico should determine their ultimate political status..."[50]

The sections addressing Puerto Rico in the platforms are below:[49][50]

President Trump

During his 2016 presidential campaign, President Donald Trump (R) issued the following statement on Puerto Rico's political status:[51][52]

“ There are 3.7 million American citizens living in Puerto Rico. As citizens, they should be entitled to determine for themselves their political status. I am firmly committed to the process where Puerto Ricans might resolve their status according to Constitutional and Congressional protocols. I believe the people of Puerto Rico deserve a process of status self-determination that gives them a fair and unambiguous choice on this matter. As president I will do my part to insure that Congress follows the Constitution. The will of the Puerto Rican people in any status referendum should be considered as Congress follows through on any desired change in status for Puerto Rico, including statehood.[20] ”

Referendums

Voting on Statehood
Statehood.jpg
Ballot Measures
By state
By year
Not on ballot

Puerto Rico voted on ballot measures addressing statehood in 1967, 1993, 1998, and 2012.

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.[53] 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.[54]

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.[55] President Bill Clinton remained neutral on the referendum.[56] A plurality of voters, 48.9 percent, favored remaining as a commonwealth. Statehood received 46.6 percent of the vote, while independence garnered 4.5 percent.[57]

A 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.[58] 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.[59]

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.[14] Statehood received a majority of the vote, 61.2 percent, at the ballot box for the first time in the territory's history.[15] The option of free association received 33.3 percent, and independence received 5.5 percent.[60] Some questioned whether the referendum's outcome should be interpreted as a victory for the statehood option.[61] 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.[62] 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."[63]

Referendums of Puerto Rico's political status
Year Commonwealth Statehood Free association Independence None of the above
1967 60.41% 38.98% Unresolved 0.60% Unresolved
1993 48.89% 46.64% Unresolved 4.47% Unresolved
1998 0.06% 46.63% 0.29% 2.55% 50.46%
2012[64] Unresolved 61.16% 33.34% 5.49% Unresolved

Tennessee Plan

Upon the statehood option prevailing on June 11, 2017, Gov. Ricardo Rosselló planned to implement what is being called the Tennessee Plan. The plan was named after the events surrounding Tennessee becoming a U.S. state in 1796. The idea is to have the state government appoint two senators and five representatives and send them to Washington, D.C., to demand statehood.[65] Tennessee did something similar in 1795 and gained statehood in 1796. Michigan, Iowa, California, Oregon, Kansas, and Alaska also used variations of the Tennessee Plan to gain statehood.[66][67][68] Gov. Rosselló signed a bill, House Bill 876 (HB 876), for the plan on June 8, 2017. The bill was titled the Act for Equality and Congressional Representation of the American Citizens of Puerto Rico.[69]

HB 876 was designed to allow Gov. Rosselló to appoint two senators and five representatives, who would form the Commission of Equality of Puerto Rico. The bill required senators and representatives to be appointed within 30 days of the law's signing and stated that a majority of the members of the Legislative Assembly needed to consent to the governor's appointments. The senators and representatives appointed to the commission would need to take an oath of office.[69]

The commission was designed to be tasked with urging the federal government to comply with the results of this referendum, requesting participation and recognition in Congress, appearing before Congress and the White House, and taking legal or civil action if necessary, among other tasks.[69]

Regarding the commission, Gov. Rosselló said, "This was a strategy from the 18th century. It was also a strategy from the 19th and 20th centuries. It was a strategy that has worked 100% of time … It is a perfect complement to what has been developed in the [June 11] political-status referendum."[70]

On January 10, 2018, Jenniffer González (R), the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, announced a seven-member shadow congressional delegation for Puerto Rico on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Gov. Ricardo Rosselló (D) named the seven members, including two shadow senators—former Gov. Pedro Rosselló González (D) and Puerto GOP Committeewoman Zoraida Fonalledas (R)—and five shadow representatives—former Gov. Pedro Rosselló González (D), former Gov. Luis Fortuño (R), former territorial Senate President Charles Rodríguez (D), former Chief of the U.S. Office of Citizenship Alfonso Aguilar (R), and former MLB player Iván Rodríguez (I).[71]

Path to the ballot

Senate Bill 51

The measure was introduced into the Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly as Senate Bill 51 (S51) on January 2, 2017.[72]

On January 26, 2017, the Puerto Rico Senate approved the referendum along party lines. The 21 members of the New Progressive Party and independent José Vargas Vidot voted in favor of referring the measure to the ballot. The seven members of the Popular Democratic Party, along with the one member of the Puerto Rican Independence Party, voted against referral.[73]

The Puerto Rico House of Representatives voted 31 to 16 to refer the measure to the ballot on January 31, 2017. Members of the New Progressive Party voted in favor of the measure, while members of the Popular Democratic Party and Independence Party voted against the measure.[74]

Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, a member of the New Progressive Party, signed the bill on February 3, 2017.[72]

Senate vote

January 26, 2017[73]

S51 in Puerto Rico Senate
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 22 73.33%
No826.67%
Partisan breakdown of Senate votes
Party Affiliation Yes No Abstain Total
New Progressive Party 21 0 0 21
Popular Democratic Party 0 7 0 7
Independence Party 0 1 0 1
Independent 1 0 0 1
Total 22 8 0 0

House vote

January 31, 2017[74]

S51 in Puerto Rico House of Representatives
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 31 65.96%
No1634.04%
Partisan breakdown of House votes
Party Affiliation Yes No Abstain Total
New Progressive Party 31 0 2 33
Popular Democratic Party 0 15 1 16
Independence Party 0 1 0 1
Total 31 16 3 50

Public Law 113–76

See also: Federal policy on Puerto Rico, 2017-2020

In January 2014, President Obama (D) signed the federal government's budget for fiscal year 2014, which was enacted as Public Law 113-76. The law provided $2.5 million to the U.S. Department of Justice for “objective, nonpartisan voter education about, and a plebiscite on, options that would resolve Puerto Rico’s future political status."[12][75]

On February 23, 2017, Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló (NPP) sent referendum material to Attorney General Jeff Sessions (R).[76]

In late March 2017, U.S. Representatives John Culberson (R) and Jose Serrano (D) asked Attorney General Sessions to move forward with reviewing the referendum and releasing the $2.5 million to Puerto Rico for the election on June 11, 2017.[77] On April 5, 2017, U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, Lindsey Graham, Thom Tillis, Richard Burr, Roy Blunt, Thad Cochran, Mike Enzi, and Tom Cotton, all Republicans, also wrote to Attorney General Sessions, asking him to review the referendum ballot question. The six senators also said that the referendum does not meet the requirements of Public Law 113-76, and the referendum should include the option to maintain the existing commonwealth status.[78]

Dana Boente, Acting Deputy AG, sent a letter detailing the Department of Justice's stance on the referendum.

Response from U.S. Department of Justice

On April 13, 2017, Dana Boente, the Acting Deputy Attorney General of the U.S. Department of Justice, sent a letter to Puerto Rico Gov. Rosselló (NPP), which stated, "The Department [of Justice] has determined that multiple considerations preclude it from notifying Congress that it approves of the plebiscite ballot and obligating the funds." Boente said the referendum "should include the current territorial status as an option.” He also said a number of ambiguous and potentially misleading statements existed in the referendum text.[13][79][80][81]

Gov. Ricardo Rosselló responded, stating, "Even though it is worthless [indigno] that we offer Puerto Ricans the option of the colony to resolve the serious problems we are facing, the opportunity to have a plebiscite endorsed by the federal government is a step forward that will benefit of the people of Puerto Rico."[82][83]

On April 14, 2017, Carlos Méndez Núñez (NPP), Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives, said the territorial House would approve amendments to the referendum mentioned by the U.S. Department of Justice. He stated, "We will include the colonial territory under the territorial clause..."[84]

U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D), the House Minority Whip, responded to the stance of the Department of Justice, saying:[85]

“ I was disappointed that the Justice Department chose to interfere in Puerto Rico's planned referendum on statehood. By doing so, the Trump Administration is demonstrating exactly why a majority of Puerto Ricans voted five years ago for a change in status - they want to determine for themselves the future of the island, including whether to join the union as our fifty-first state, not be told what to do by a federal government in which they currently have no voting representation. I will continue to stand up in Congress for the people of Puerto Rico, who are American citizens, to ensure that they can choose the status they believe is best for them and their future, and I urge the Justice Department to release funds to the Puerto Rican government as promised in 2014.[20] ”

Senate Bill 427

In response to the letter from the Department of Justice, Senate Bill 427 (SB 427) was introduced on April 17, 2017, to amend the ballot language of the referendum. The bill would rename the referendum from Plebiscite for the Immediate Decolonization of Puerto Rico to Plebiscite of Status of Puerto Rico. SB 497 was designed to present voters with three options, rather than two, at the election on June 11, 2017. In addition to (i) statehood and (ii) free association/independence, the referendum would include the option (iii) current territorial status. The third option of current territorial status (actual estatus territorial) would read as follows in English and Spanish:[2]

On April 18, 2017, the Puerto Rico Senate passed SB 427. The vote was 19 to 8 with three members not voting. On April 19, 2017, the Puerto Rico House of Representatives approved the bill, with 32 members in favor, 14 members against, and five members not voting.[2] Gov. Ricardo Rosselló signed the bill on April 19, 2017. Copies of the amendments were sent to the Department of Justice for review.[11] Gov. Rosselló said his government was in "continuous communication with the Department of Justice, with the White House, with Congress" about the changes.[86] He asked the Department of Justice for a response by April 22, 2017, but one was not received by that date.[87] On May 26, 2017, a DOJ spokesperson said, "The Department has not reviewed or approved the current ballot language and any suggestion to the contrary is incorrect."[88] On June 11, 2017, the Associated Press reported that a DOJ spokesperson also told the outlet that the ballot language had not been reviewed.[89][90]

Senate vote

April 18, 2017[2]

S427 in Puerto Rico Senate
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 19 70.37%
No829.63%

House vote

April 19, 2017[2]

S427 in Puerto Rico House
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 32 69.57%
No1430.43%

Differences between SB 51 and SB 427

The following table highlights the differences between Senate Bill 51 (SB 51) and Senate Bill 427 (SB 427). SB 51 was the first bill passed for the referendum. SB 427 made amendments to the referendum. Text added by SB 427 is underlined, and text removed by SB 427 is struck-through in the third column of the table.

[2][19][21]

Profile of Puerto Rico

LocationPuertoRico.svg

Puerto Rico, more formally known as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is located in the tropical northeastern Caribbean west of the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. It is just east of the Dominican Republic. Florida, the closest state to Puerto Rico, is located over 1,000 miles away. The island is roughly 3,424 square miles, not counting ocean territory. Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States in 1898 following the Spanish-American War under the Treaty of Paris. In 1917, Congress provided residents of Puerto Rico with U.S. citizenship. Puerto Ricans elect a bicameral legislature and governor to govern the territory's internal affairs, although Congress has ultimate jurisdiction over the island. Spanish and English are the primary spoken languages. The capital and the largest city is San Juan. In 2016, the island's population was estimated at 3,411,307, making the population larger than Iowa's but smaller than Connecticut's. However, Puerto Rico lost 8.4 percent of its population between 2010 and 2016, as residents moved to the U.S. mainland due to a local economic recession.[91][92] The motto of Puerto Rico is "Joannes est nomen eius" (Latin) which translates to "John is his name."[93]

Demographic data for Puerto Rico
 Puerto RicoU.S.
Total population:3,411,307323,127,513
Land area (sq mi):3,4243,531,905
Gender
Female:52.3%50.8%
Race and ethnicity
White:0.7%61.6%
Black/African American:12.4%12.6%
Asian:0.2%4.8%
Native American:0.5%1.2%
Pacific Islander:0.0%0.2%
Two or more:3.3%2.9%
Hispanic/Latino:99.0%16.3%
Education
High school graduation rate:73.0%86.7%
College graduation rate:24.2%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$19,350$53,889
Persons below poverty level:46.1%13.5%
Source: United States Census Bureau
Note: Population data was estimated by the Censuses Bureau for 2016. Other variables were calculated for 2010.

See also

External links

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Puerto Rico 2017 Statehood Referendum. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Puerto Rico Statehood, Independence, Free Association, or Current Status Referendum (2017) - Google News

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Oficina de Servicios Legislativos, "P. del S. 51," accessed February 5, 2017
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Oficina de Servicios Legislativos, "Medida P. S0427," accessed April 18, 2017
  3. ↑ Comisión Estatal de Elecciones, "Proclamation," February 17, 2017
  4. ↑ The language of the referendum calls on the U.S. federal government to act on the option favored by the majority (... la alternativa de estatus político favorecida por la mayoría de los ciudadanos). The language also says the option that wins on election day is the one that results in a majority of 100 percent of the votes classified as awarded ballots (La alternativa de estatus político impresa en la papeleta de votación que resulte con la mayoría del cien por ciento (100%) de los votos definidos como “Papeletas Adjudicadas” a su favor, será la alternativa certificada por la Comisión como la ganadora.).
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 New York Times, "23% of Puerto Ricans Vote in Referendum, 97% of Them for Statehood," June 11, 2017
  6. ↑ White House, "Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sean Spicer and Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta, 6/12/2017, #54," June 12, 2017
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 The Hill, "Puerto Rico swears in congressional delegation," August 15, 2017
  8. ↑ Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico, "Resultados Isla," accessed June 14, 2017
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Congressional Research Service, "Political Status of Puerto Rico: Options for Congress," June 7, 2011
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Congressional Research Service, "Puerto Rico’s Political Status and the 2012 Plebiscite: Background and Key Questions," June 25, 2013
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 El Nuevo Dia, "Ricardo Rosselló firma las enmiendas al plebiscito," April 19, 2017
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 United States Government Publishing Office, "Public Law 113–76," January 17, 2014
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 U.S. Department of Justice, "Department of Justice Letter to Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló," April 13, 2017
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Comisión Estatal de Elecciones de Puerto Rico, "Papeleta Modelo," accessed February 6, 2017
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 CNN, "Puerto Ricans favor statehood for first time," November 8, 2012
  16. ↑ Huffington Post, "Puerto Rico Status Vote Proposed By White House," April 18, 2013
  17. ↑ CNN, "White House weighs in on Puerto Rican statehood vote," December 5, 2012
  18. ↑ Miami Herald, "Will Puerto Rico become the newest star on the American flag?" January 26, 2017
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Comisión Estatal de Elecciones, "June Sample Ballot," accessed February 22, 2017
  20. ↑ 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 20.11 20.12 20.13 20.14 20.15 20.16 20.17 20.18 20.19 20.20 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Comisión Estatal de Elecciones, "October Sample Ballot," accessed February 22, 2017
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 NBC Los Angeles, "Puerto Rico Governor Approves Referendum in Quest for Statehood," February 3, 2017
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Orlando Sentinel, "Puerto Ricans, it's time to join the United States," May 31, 2017
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Caribbean Business, "PDP Approves Status Referendum Boycott," April 23, 2017
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 El Nuevo Dia, "Junte soberanista se une al boicot en contra del plebiscito," April 19, 2017
  26. ↑ El Nuevo Dia, "El Partido del Pueblo Trabajador se une al boicot al plebiscito," May 29, 2017
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Telemundo Tu Canal, "Se oficializa el boicot al plebiscito," April 19, 2017
  28. ↑ Prensa Latina, "Asamblea aprueba boicotear plebiscito de estatus en Puerto Rico," April 24, 2017
  29. ↑ Metro, "García Padilla apoya el boicot al plebiscito," April 23, 2017
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 El Nuevo Dia, "Populares soberanistas piden oficialmente el boicot al plebiscito," April 19, 2017
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Hoy Los Angeles, "Populares soberanistas llaman a boicot de plebiscito sobre estatus de Puerto Rico," June 8, 2017
  32. ↑ CNN, "(Some) Puerto Ricans vote for US statehood," June 12, 2017
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 El Nuevo Dia, "Rubio y la congresista Ros Lehtinen exhortan a votar en el plebiscito," June 9, 2017
  34. ↑ Orlando Political Observer, "Stephanie Murphy on Puerto Rico plebiscite “I personally hope they choose statehood”," June 7, 2017
  35. ↑ Translated from Spanish: "Este 11 de junio, los puertorriqueños tienen la oportunidad de unidos actuar sobre el futuro estatus político de Puerto Rico, a través del propuesto plebiscito que según enmendado les ofrece elegir entre estadidad, independencia/libre asociación, y el actual estatus territorial. Exhorto a todos aquellos votantes elegibles e inscritos a acudir a votar."
  36. ↑ Orlando Political Observer, "Darren Soto will “strongly support” Puerto Rican Statehood plebiscite results," June 6, 2017
  37. ↑ Sunshine State News, "Florida Delegation Weighs in as Puerto Rico Readies for Vote on Statehood, Independence," June 8, 2017
  38. ↑ El Nuevo Dia, "Tres congresistas exhortan a votar en el plebiscito," June 6, 2017
  39. ↑ Translated from Spanish: "Para que el pueblo de Puerto Rico pueda continuar superando sus retos actuales, es crítico que hagan oír su voz sobre el futuro de Puerto Rico. Es por eso que exhorto a todos los electores en la Isla a salir a votar en el plebiscito del 11 de junio."
  40. ↑ The Hill, "Opinion: Puerto Rico’s debt must be audited now," June 7, 2017
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 El Nuevo Dia, "Republicanos Young y MacArthur piden votar en el plebiscito," June 7, 2017
  42. ↑ Translated from Spanish: "Como único representante de Alaska, nuestro segundo estado más reciente, conozco y aprecio profundamente el tipo de deliberación y debate que conlleva la decisión de buscar o no la estadidad. Es por esa entre otras razones que por tanto tiempo he trabajado con el pueblo de Puerto Rico sobre los temas que surgen por el estatus territorial de la Isla. Creo firmemente en el derecho de autodeterminación de Puerto Rico y en que sus residentes merecen la oportunidad de decidir su futuro político y su relación con el gobierno federal."
  43. ↑ El Nuevo Día, "Plebiscite Boycott Fails to Seduce the Masses," accessed June 4, 2017
  44. ↑ United Nations, "Special Committee on Decolonization Approves Text Calling upon United States Government to Expedite Self-Determination Process for Puerto Rico," June 20, 2016
  45. ↑ Washington Post, "So you want to secede from the U.S.: A four-step guide," June 27, 2016
  46. ↑ U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, "Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Palau," accessed February 7, 2017
  47. ↑ NBC Latino, "Puerto Rico leaders speak in U.S. Senate on referendum, island’s political future," August 1, 2013
  48. ↑ NBC News, "Puerto Rico: Statehood Backer Leads But Unaffiliated Draw Support," November 7, 2016
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 49.2 Republican Party, "The 2016 Republican Party Platform," accessed August 5, 2016
  50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 Democratic Party, "The 2016 Democratic Party Platform," accessed August 5, 2016
  51. ↑ The Hill, "Puerto Rico's representative makes renewed push for statehood," January 6, 2017
  52. ↑ The Atlantic, "The State of Puerto Rican Statehood," March 7, 2016
  53. ↑ Huffington Post, "Puerto Rico’s Status Debate Continues As Island Marks 61 Years As A Commonwealth," July 25, 2013
  54. ↑ Consulta de Resultados, "Plebiscito de Status del 23 de julio de 1967," accessed February 6, 2017
  55. ↑ New York Times, "3 Ex-Presidents Join the Debate On Puerto Rico," November 13, 1993
  56. ↑ New York Times, "Puerto Rico Votes to Retain Status as Commonwealth," November 15, 1993
  57. ↑ Consulta de Resultados, "Plebiscito de Status del 14 de noviembre de 1993," accessed February 6, 2017
  58. ↑ Consulta de Resultados, "Plebiscito de Status del 13 de diciembre de 1998," accessed February 6, 2017
  59. ↑ New York Times, "Puerto Rico Rallies to Vote On Shift in Political Status," December 12, 1998
  60. ↑ Comision Estatal de Elecciones, "Elecciones Generales 2012 y Consulta sobre el Estatus Político de Puerto Rico," accessed February 6, 2017
  61. ↑ ABC News, "Puerto Rico Statehood Experts Challenge Results," November 8, 2012
  62. ↑ Washington Post, "Puerto Rico gov approves referendum in quest for statehood," February 3, 2017
  63. ↑ NBC Latino, "White House: Puerto Rico status position ‘not clear’ from plebiscite," December 3, 2012
  64. ↑ Note: These results are from the second question of a two-question referendum. Almost a quarter of people who voted on the first question cast blank ballots on the second question.
  65. ↑ The Hill, "Puerto Rico goes to the polls for statehood," June 7, 2017
  66. ↑ Orlando Sentinel, "`Tennessee Plan' Suggests Speedy Path To Statehood ," July 31, 1998
  67. ↑ Pasquines, "Puerto Rico Status Vote Lobbying Intensifies," June 6, 2017
  68. ↑ Newsweek, "Will Puerto Rico Become the 51st U.S. State? Island Chooses Between Statehood, Independence or Status Quo," June 9, 2017
  69. ↑ 69.0 69.1 69.2 Oficina de Servicios Legislativos, "P. de la C. 876," accessed June 8, 2017
  70. ↑ Caribbean Business, "Puerto Rico governor approves Tennessee Plan," June 5, 2017
  71. ↑ The Hill, "Puerto Rico announces shadow congressional delegation," January 10, 2017
  72. ↑ 72.0 72.1 Oficina de Servicios Legislativos, "Medida P. S0051," accessed February 5, 2017
  73. ↑ 73.0 73.1 Senado de Puerto Rico, "Resultado de Votación para la Medida," January 26, 2017
  74. ↑ 74.0 74.1 Cámara de Representantes de Puerto Rico, "Resultado de Votación para la Medida," January 31, 2017
  75. ↑ The Hill, "Justice Department must act on Puerto Rico," April 14, 2017
  76. ↑ El Nuevo Dia, "Justicia federal revisará enmiendas al plebiscito," April 14, 2017
  77. ↑ El Nuevo Dia, "Piden liberar los fondos federales para el plebiscito," March 30, 2017
  78. ↑ United States Senate, "Letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions," April 5, 2017
  79. ↑ Fox News, "US to Puerto Rico: Add another option to status referendum ," April 13, 2017
  80. ↑ Minneapolis Star Tribune, "US to Puerto Rico: Add another option to status referendum," April 13, 2017
  81. ↑ La Opinion, "EEUU evaluará si otorga fondos para plebiscito en Puerto Rico," April 14, 2017
  82. ↑ La Perla Del Sur, "Justicia de Estados Unidos propone cambios en el plebiscito," April 13, 2017
  83. ↑ Latino Rebels, "The Department of Justice Throws Massive Colonial Wrench at Puerto Rico’s June 11 Plebiscite," April 13, 2017
  84. ↑ El Nuevo Dia, "Cámara adelanta que aprobará enmiendas al plebiscito," April 14, 2017
  85. ↑ Democratic House Whip, "Hoyer Statement on DOJ's Interference in Puerto Rico Referendum on Statehood," April 22, 2017
  86. ↑ Metro, "Gobernador defiende el plebiscito pese a boicot," April 20, 2017
  87. ↑ El Nuevo Dia, "Gobernador presenta a Justicia federal las enmiendas al plebiscito," April 25, 2017
  88. ↑ Politico, "Puerto Rico governor pushes statehood as vote looms despite no U.S. support," May 26, 2017
  89. ↑ Washington Post, "Puerto Rico mulls political status in new referendum," June 11, 2017
  90. ↑ Fox News, "Puerto Rico mulls political status in new referendum," June 11, 2017
  91. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Puerto Rico," accessed February 16, 2017
  92. ↑ Pew Research Center, "Historic population losses continue across Puerto Rico," March 24, 2016
  93. ↑ CIA World Factbook, "Puerto Rico," accessed February 16, 2017
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