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 consisted of two questions. Voters were asked first whether they wanted the current territorial status to continue. Regardless of how voters answered that question, they were then 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

With 2,402,941 enrolled to vote and 1573 of 1643 polling stations reporting, 2,351,158 enrolled voters have been accounted for. Of those, 1,827,021 voted, giving 77.71% voter participation with 95.74% of polling stations reporting.

Question 1: Do you agree to maintain current territorial political status? Choice Votes Percentage No 934,238 53.99% Yes 796,007 46.01% Valid votes 1,730,245 94.703% Blank votes 64,123 0.035% Invalid votes 12,720 0.007% Total votes 1,827,021 100.00% Source:

Question 2: Status options Choice Votes Percentage Statehood 802,179 61.15% Associated free state 436,997 33.31% Independence 72,551 5.53% Valid votes 1,311,727 71.8% Blank votes 468,478 25.6% Invalid votes 17,602 0.01% Total votes 1,827,021 100.00% Source: