More than half a million people favored statehood in that referendum . Puerto Rico votes for statehood in referendum. In 2014 the Republican-controlled Congress passed a bipartisan bill signed by President Obama, providing $2.5 million to fund the first federally sponsored referendum in Puerto Rico on the future political status of . Debt and unemployment are high, and residents are leaving . Statehood received 97.13% of the votes cast. A woman votes during a referendum on Puerto Rico's political status in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on June 11, 2017. The issue of Puerto Rico's statehood has made its way to Congress again during the 117th session. Sunday's referendum was boycotted by opposition parties, including those which support independence. June 13, 2017 Don't start stitching that 51st star on the American flag just yet. The current territorial status received 1.35% of the votes. Puerto Rico, History, Art & Archives: . . Puerto Rico's governor announced that the U.S. territory has overwhelmingly chosen statehood in a nonbinding referendum Sunday held amid a deep economic crisis that has sparked an exodus of i… A large majority of voters in Puerto Rico supported U.S. statehood for their island in a referendum on Sunday. A fifth referendum in 2017 ended in a majority vote for statehood, but only 23 percent of voters (a historic low) turned out. The results in each referendum election were as follows: 1967 On July 23, 1967, Puerto Ricans were given three options at the ballot box on the island's political status. . — Madelein Garcia (@madeleintlSUR) June 11, 2017 But despite the clear 'Yes' vote to join the US, the plebiscite only registered a 23 percent turnout of 2.25 million eligible voters. Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Email this article. A woman votes during the fifth referendum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, June 11, 2017. Sunday's referendum is the fifth for Puerto Rico. The last one, held in 2017, was hit by a boycott and a low turnout that raised questions about the vote's legitimacy. Puerto Rico Gov.Ricardo Rossello celebrates the results of a referendum on the status of the island, at the New Progressive Party headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Ricardo Rossello shows his ballot at the San Jose Academy during the fifth referendum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday, June 11, 2017. A similar version was reintroduced in March 2021, with Ocasio-Cortez bringing it forward in the . Although 97 percent of voters in a Puerto Rico referendum on June 11 voted to start down the path of statehood, the. Miami - 12 jun 2017-15:37 UTC. W.W. Norton, 2017. Because there were almost 500,000 blank ballots in the 2012 referendum, creating confusion as to the voters' true desire, Congress decided to ignore the vote. Puerto Rico voters back becoming 51st state in referendum marred by boycott. This was 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. Published On 12 Jun 2017 12 Jun 2017. Puerto Rico's governor is pushing ahead with his top campaign promise of trying to convert the U.S. territory into a state, holding a Sunday referendum to let voters send a message to Congress. The United States Congress sanctioned the referendum. . To become a true US state, to choose independence or to . Bob Oakes On March 18, 2021, Representative Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-07) and Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) introduced the Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act of 2021 in their respective congressional chambers. Saturday, June 10, 2017 | 8:59 p.m. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Ricans are getting the chance to tell the U.S. Congress on Sunday which political status they believe . Related Puerto Rico to spend $2B to fight . Puerto Rico's governor announced that the U.S. territory has overwhelmingly chosen statehood in a nonbinding referendum Sunday held amid a deep economic crisis that has sparked an exodus of . The NPP has held three referendums within the last decade: 2012, 2017 and 2020, which has trivialized this mechanism and proved it wasteful. A referendum on the political status of Puerto Rico was held in Puerto Rico on June 11, 2017. 1:54. Puerto Rico's current status, once viewed as a viable hybrid between full independence and territorial status, was essentially rendered obsolete by a Supreme Court decision in 2017 that ruled the . June 12, 2017, 7:04 PM • 5 min read. In the nonbinding referendum, 97% of the votes favored statehood, but voter participation was just 23% after opposition parties called. The issue of Puerto Rico's statehood has made its way to Congress again during the 117th session. The Associated Press By DANICA COTO, Associated Press Governor Ricardo Rossello, right, and Congresswoman representing Puerto Rico Jennifer Gonzalez celebrate the results of a referendum on the status of the island, at the New Progressive Party . Those who voted overwhelmingly chose statehood by 97%. ET, the island's. The 2017 referendum had only a 23% turnout. One of those goals is a public vote on a statehood referendum. Puerto Ricans have voted in six referendums on the issue of statehood, in 1967, 1993, 1998, 2012, 2017 and 2020. Voters got the chance to tell the U.S. Congress which political status they believe . Gov. . Puerto Rico's governor announced that the U.S. territory has overwhelmingly chosen statehood in a nonbinding referendum Sunday held amid a deep economic crisis that has sparked an exodus of i… Carlos Giusti / AP Puerto Rico historically has had high turnout in most . Puerto Ricans last voted on the question of statehood in 2017. More than half a million people favored statehood in that referendum, followed by nearly 7,800 votes for free association/independence and more than 6,800 votes for the current territorial status. Update November 4, 8:50 pm: Puerto Ricans have voted in favor of US statehood, according to the AP, New York Times . This was the sixth referendum held on the status of Puerto Rico, with the previous one having taken place in 2017. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The Latest on Puerto Rico's referendum on its political status. (all times local): Puerto Rico's governor says the U.S. territory has overwhelmingly chosen statehood in a non-binding referendum. The 2017 referendum had only a 23% turnout. Puerto Rico's . . $2.5 million has been set aside to hold the referendum and to provide educational materials to make sure that the voters of Puerto Rico fully understand the options on the ballot. Puerto Ricos's most recent referendum vote was in 2017, with an overwhelming 97% of the island voting in favor of statehood. The referendum had three options: becoming a state of the United States, independence / free association, or maintaining the current territorial status. 3:55. Just speaking for myself (IR—not for the Repeating Islands team): . By Abby Neiser. . Maria Quinones, 66, said she voted for the first time in such a referendum, the fifth on Puerto Rico's status. . 'There is no shortage of candidates': Democratic senators speak about potential Supreme Court picks. Sunday 11 June 2017. . 23% of Puerto Ricans Vote in Referendum, 97% of Them for Statehood Voters outside San José Academy in Guaynabo, P.R. WBUR's Morning Edition. Rico two senators and five representatives, but it's unlikely a Republican-controlled Congress would acknowledge the referendum because Puerto Rico tends to favor Democrats. Massive food & water delivered." After this series of events, the relationship between the U.S. and Puerto Rico is quite questionable. Puerto Rico Status will be determined in a federally-sponsored vote, approved in 2014, which is expected to take place in 2017. The territory's governor said that it overwhelmingly chose statehood on Sunday in a nonbinding referendum. Residents of . As Puerto Rico faces an economic meltdown, residents are preparing to vote in June in a nonbinding referendum on whether to try to become the 51st state. Puerto Rico vota por la anexión a EE UU en una consulta no vinculante lastrada por la abstención . . June 12, 2017. 1:31. A United States possession for over a century, it's also mired in a deep fiscal crisis. ASSOCIATED PRESS. On March 18, 2021, Representative Nydia Velázquez (D-NY-07) and Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) introduced the Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act of 2021 in their respective congressional chambers. The 2017 referendum was called by the government of the island against a background of economic crisis, which some attribute at least partially to Puerto Rico's unusual legal status, halfway . On January 15, 2014, the House of Representatives approved $2.5 million in funding for Puerto Rico to hold a fifth referendum. . In 2017, when Cam . June 12, 2017 at 6:52 a.m. By Danica Coto, . Before that, in 2012, Puerto Rico held a two-part referendum vote. Dánica Coto reports on yet another nonbinding statehood referendum in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican citizens wait in line to vote during the fifth referendum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday, June 11, 2017. Rosa, a retired corrections officer, said the island's situation is the reason he voted for the first time in such a referendum, the fifth on Puerto Rico's status. The non-binding referendum was not expected to change Puerto Rico 's status anytime soon but was still seen as a barometer of Puerto Ricans' appetite for statehood. 2017 Puerto Rico Statehood Referendum Results With almost all precincts on the island reporting, statehood received 97.18 percent of the vote. 2017; Leer en español. Fifth such vote in 50 years comes after election of governor Ricardo Rosselló, but all main . The options on the ballot will be statehood and independence, the only viable options for Puerto Rico's political status. Puerto Rico, which has been a U.S. territory since 1898 when it was ceded during the Spanish-American War, voted yesterday on the question of statehood.This is the fifth time since 1967 that they have held a status referendum.The vote comes at a time of crisis on the island, as the territory has dealt with a number of issues in regard to poverty, debt, and infrastructure. Free Association/ Independence received 1.52% of the vote. Voters approved the statehood option. Carlos Giusti / AP As of 7 p.m. But fewer than 1 in 4 Puerto Ricans actually voted . It is the largest municipal bankruptcy in US history. 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. Fed-Sponsored Vote on Puerto Rico Status Set for 2017 In 2014 the Republican-controlled Congress passed a bipartisan bill signed by President Obama, providing $2.5 million to fund the first federally sponsored referendum in Puerto Rico on the future political status of our nation's last large and populous U.S. territory. 97% of voters in Puerto Rico's referendum chose US statehood Sunday But voter turnout was low after opposition parties called for a boycott (CNN) Puerto Ricans who voted for US statehood in a. Ricardo Rossello shows his ballot at the San Jose Academy during the fifth referendum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday, June 11, 2017. A Puerto Rican citizen votes during the fifth referendum in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday, June 11, 2017. A proposal to hold a status plebiscite vote on June 11, 2017 has been enacted into law in Puerto Rico. . In the three referendums prior to 2017, no clear majority emerged, with voters sometimes almost evenly divided between statehood and the status quo. Because there were almost 500,000 blank ballots in the 2012 referendum, creating confusion as to the voters' true desire, Congress decided to ignore the vote. The new referendum, scheduled for June 11, 2017, was to be the first federally-sponsored status vote in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico's governor says the U.S. territory has overwhelmingly chosen statehood in a non-binding referendum . Ricardo Rossello said Sunday that the island has sent a strong and clear message to U.S. Congress and the world. The 2012 referendum was the first time the popular vote swung in statehood's favor.. Puerto Ricans got the chance Sunday to tell the U.S. Congress which political status they want for a U.S. territory mired in an economic crisis that has triggered an exodus of islanders to the mainland. . If the people choose statehood again, the ball will be in the court of Congress. June 12, 2017 By Danica Coto . The Morning Edition roundtable about the upcoming statehood referendum in Puerto Rico is recorded at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston . Puerto Rico. Today. Puerto Rico voted overwhelmingly on Sunday to apply to Congress to become the 51st state, election officials said. 2017 referendum. The debt-racked territory voted to become the 51st state in 2012, but Congress never picked up the result. Puerto Rico is holding its sixth nonbinding referendum on the issue of statehood. During the . 0:22. . Puerto Rico's current status, once viewed as a viable hybrid between full independence and territorial status, was essentially rendered obsolete by a Supreme Court decision in 2017 that ruled the . Along with the referendum, Puerto Rico legislators expect to vote on a bill that would allow Rossello to draft a state constitution and hold elections to choose two senators and five representatives to Congress and send them to Washington to demand statehood, a strategy Tennessee used to join the union in the 18th century. Over 500,000. 2017 referendum. Puerto Rico is a beautiful Caribbean island with rich culture and tradition. June 12, 2017. The stated goals of the new law are to establish the "[i]mmediate decolonization of Puerto Rico," and implement a 2014 federal law that provides $2.5 million to support a vote on status with options pre-approved by the U.S. Justice Department. 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