Puerto Rico has been a US territory for 122 years. It’s the world’s oldest colony. And on Election Day, it’s holding its sixth nonbinding refere
Puerto Rico has been a US territory for 122 years. It’s the world’s oldest colony. And on Election Day, it’s holding its sixth nonbinding referendum on the problem of statehood.
In 2012 and 2017, the island’s Three million residents overwhelmingly backed statehood, however Congress by no means took additional motion to confess Puerto Rico into the union. Each these votes, nonetheless, have been stricken by low turnout — actually, lower than 1 / 4 of eligible voters forged ballots within the 2017 referendum, which was boycotted by opposition events that assist both sustaining the established order or independence.
That raised questions concerning the legitimacy of the vote, and has allowed congressional lawmakers to punt on the problem.
This yr, Puerto Ricans are hoping to ship a transparent message to Congress relating to their need to achieve the rights and privileges related to statehood.
Congress isn’t underneath authorized obligation to abide by the result of the referendum, however proponents hope that, significantly if Democrats are in a position to take management of each Congress and the White Home, sturdy turnout and a decisive end result will stress federal lawmakers to lastly take up the problem.
2020 Puerto Rico statehood referendum
A sure vote means Puerto Rico want to develop into a state.
A no vote means Puerto Rico want to stay a territory.