2020 Puerto Rican status referendum

A referendum of the status of Puerto Rico is set to be held on November 3, 2020, concurrently with the gubernatorial election. It was announced by Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced on May 16, 2020. This will be the sixth referendum held on the status of Puerto Rico, with the latest having taken place in 2017. This will be the first referendum with a simple yes-or-no question, with voters having the option of voting for or against becoming a U.S. state. The governing New Progressive Party (PNP) supports statehood, while the opposition Popular Democratic Party (PDP) is against it.

2020 Puerto Rican status referendum
Location	Puerto Rico, United States
Date	November 3, 2020 (2020-11-03)

The referendum will be non-binding, as the power to grant statehood lies with the United States Congress. Members of the Republican Party in Congress have come out against statehood, and there has not been significant support from the Democratic Party.

Background

Main article: Statehood movement in Puerto Rico

Calls for autonomy have occurred since Puerto Rico was ceded to the United States in 1898. In 1917 U.S. citizenship was extended to most Puerto Ricans, although its laws could still be vetoed by the United States Congress. Citizenship by birthright was established by the Nationality Act of 1940. In 1952 Puerto Rico adopted a new constitution which designated it as the "Commonwealth of Puerto Rico". Today, while Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens and subject to federal laws, those on the island are unable to vote in Presidential elections and the island does not have a representative vote in congress.[1]

The lack of statehood is sometimes regarded as exacerbating the impact of natural disasters and the territory's economic crisis.[2] This referendum follows a period of political upheaval in Puerto Rico, where an economic crisis and damage from a series of hurricanes contributed to protests that brought about the resignation of previous Governor Ricardo Rosselló in July 2019.[3]

According to Senate Bill 1467, which placed the referendum on the ballot, voting "No" on the referendum would mean that a seven-member commission would be appointed to negotiate with the federal government for the free association or independence of Puerto Rico.

Previous referendums

Main article: List of Puerto Rican status referendums

Puerto Rico has had five previous referendums on its status.[4] A vote in 1967 rejected statehood.[5] The next three referendums produced no clear majorities.[2] The non-binding 2017 referendum was in favor of statehood, but had only a 23 percent turnout.[1]

Campaign period

On May 16, 2020, Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced announced that a referendum on statehood would take place in November that year, alongside the 2020 Puerto Rico gubernatorial election and other elections taking place on that day.[2]

Vázquez is part of the pro-statehood New Progressive Party (PNP). The opposition Popular Democratic Party (PDP) supports the status quo.[2]

In response to the announcement, PDP member Roberto Prats stated that unilateral referendums are pointless, and status referendums should take place in cooperation with the U.S. Congress.[2] It has been asserted that the referendum is an attempt to drive turnout for Vázquez and the PNP in the election.[4]

A White House official responded to the announcement of the referendum, stating "The first priority for all Puerto Rico leaders should be getting their financial house in order".[6] Congressional members of the Republican Party have come out against statehood,[4] and there has been no commitment from Democratic Party Presidential candidate Joe Biden.[7] This contrasts to explicit support for statehood for Washington D.C..[8]

Under a 2014 law, the Puerto Rico State Commission on Elections receives $2.5 million from the federal government for any referendum approved by the Justice Department on the topic of the territory's status.[9] It is thought that the overall cost of the upcoming referendum will be $3.5 million.[6] On July 29, 2020, the Justice Department informed the Commission that it would not be approving the referendum.[10]

Question

The referendum will ask one yes-or-no question:[9]

"¿Debe Puerto Rico ser admitido inmediatamente dentro de la Unión como un Estado?"
"Should Puerto Rico be admitted immediately into the Union as a State?"

This wording imitates the wording used in the successful statehood referendums of Alaska and Hawaii.[9] It will be Puerto Rico's first status referendum to ask just one simple question, with previous referendums asking multiple questions or providing more than two possible answers to questions.[2]

Result

The referendum is non-binding, and the power to grant statehood lies with the U.S. Congress rather than Puerto Rico. If Puerto Rico became a state, it would be expected to have two senators and five house representatives.[2] Congress can approve statehood through a simple majority vote.[9]

Choice	Votes	%
Yes
No
Total votes		100%
Registered voters and turnout

See also

• 51st state
• Statehood movement in the District of Columbia

References

1. Blakemore, Erin (July 24, 2020). "Why Puerto Rico has debated U.S. statehood since its colonization". National Geographic. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
2. Coto, Dánica (May 17, 2020). "Puerto Rico to hold statehood referendum amid disillusion". abc News. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
3. Deibert, Michael (July 31, 2020). "Puerto Rico's Colonial Model Doesn't Serve Its People". Foreign Policy. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
4. Varela, Julio Ricardo (May 22, 2020). "Is Puerto Rico having a defining vote on statehood? No, it's just a political stunt". Washington Post. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
5. Venator-Santiago, Charles R. (June 9, 2017). "Puerto Rico votes on statehood – fifth time's the charm?". The Conversation. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
6. Delgado, José A. (May 18, 2020). "Governor to lead negotiations on the status referendum". El Nuevo Día. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
7. Ocasio, Bianca Padró; Daugherty, Alex (June 5, 2020). "Biden isn't the statehood backer many Puerto Ricans want. Will he lose Florida votes?". Miami Herald. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
8. Thompson, Elias; Lowe, Julianna (July 23, 2020). "Democrats Support Washington and Puerto Rico Statehood. Republicans Not So Much". International Policy Digest. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
9. "2020 Puerto Rico Status Referendum Ballot Released". Peurto Rico Report. June 2, 2020. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
10. Delgado, José A. (July 13, 2020). "El Departamento de Justicia de Estados Unidos descartó validar el referéndum estadidad sí o no" [The United States Department of Justice ruled out validating the statehood referendum yes or no]. El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). Retrieved August 2, 2020.