2012 Puerto Rican status referendum

A referendum on the political status of Puerto Rico was held in Puerto Rico on November 6, 2012. Puerto Ricans were asked whether they agree to continue with the current territorial status, and were then given three choices of alternate political status to choose from: statehood, independence, or a sovereign nation in free association with the United States.

This was the fourth referendum held to decide on the political status of Puerto Rico. Previous ones were held in 1967, 1993, and 1998.

If Puerto Ricans vote for an option other than the current U.S. territory status, the government of Puerto Rico will be expected to petition the federal government on behalf of the voters. For example, if a majority of voters choose statehood, Puerto Rico's nonvoting Resident Commissioner can be expected to introduce legislation admitting Puerto Rico to the Union. As with other bills, it would have to pass both the House and the Senate, and be signed by the President of the United States, or, if vetoed, veto overridden by 2/3 of each of the House and Senate to become law.

The referendum resulted in 53.9% of voters voting against maintaining the political status, and 61.9% opting for Statehood if status is to be changed.

Background

In June 2011, the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization asked the United States to expedite the process for political status self-determination in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico, unlike several other U.S. territories such as Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, is not on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. However, as it is not a state, its citizens do not have the right to full representation in the U.S. Congress. Furthermore, although anyone born in Puerto Rico is a U.S. citizen, U.S. citizens living in Puerto Rico may not vote in presidential elections. On December 28, 2011 Governor Luis Fortuño authorized the referendum for November 6, 2012.

Question

The referendum's ballot will consist of two questions. Voters will first be asked whether they want the current territorial status to continue. Regardless of how voters answer that question, they will then be asked to express their preference among the three alternatives to the current status: statehood, complete independence, or nationhood in free association with the United States.

Criticism

Since its announcement, the status referendum has been criticized by members of all political parties, including the New Progressive Party (PNP) that proposed it. Former Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro Rosselló (from the PNP) claimed that the choices in the ballot are "confusing" and might cause "an indefinition that, in the end, will bring more of the same: the continuous status quo." Another former Governor from the PNP, Carlos Romero Barceló, also argued that "the content and language of the formulas will confuse the voter."

Members of the other parties also criticized the referendum. Former Governor of Puerto Rico Rafael Hernández Colón (from the PPD) argued that the project "doesn't follow the recommendations of the White House report on Puerto Rico neither on its content, nor its date." He also criticized the definition used for the Estado Libre Asociado, which is the current status and the one his party defends. Hernández Colón recommended following the seventh recommendation on the White House report, which is to "work from the island to go to the White House with a project for Congress, to push them into establish real status options for the voters to choose from." Another member of the PPD, Senator Eduardo Bhatia said that the status referendum was "a trick" and assured that the results wouldn't have any value in Washington, DC because "it's an illegitimate and badly designed consult."

Other members of the minority parties agreed with the criticism. After a poll in a local newspaper presented contradicting results, Rogelio Figueroa, gubernatorial candidate and co-founder of the Puerto Ricans for Puerto Rico Party (PPR) argued that the poll was proof the status referendum wouldn't solve the status issue. He also claimed that the project was just a way for the two main parties to "perpetuate themselves".

Results

Question 1: Do you agree to maintain current territorial political status? Choice Votes % No 876,299 53.9 Yes 749,388 46.1 Valid votes 1,625,687 95.5 Invalid or blank votes 61,082 (blank) + 11,918 (spoiled) 4.3 Total votes 1,698,687 100.00 Source:

Question 2: Status options Choice Votes Percentage Statehood 769,925 61.32% Sovereignty and free association with the United States 416,929 33.20% Independence 68,800 5.48% Valid votes 1,255,654 95.5% Blank votes 452,098 ?% Invalid votes 17,045 ?% Total votes 1,781,651 100.00% Voter turnout 78.92% Turnout required ?% Electorate Puerto Ricans Source: