A young voter named Daisy España told National Public Radio, “Don’t just vote for yourself.” Of course, we vote for ourselves. One person, one vote, and it’s our voice. But NPR has a point. Deisy was also voting for her parents, who are not U.S. citizens and therefore can’t vote. Many of us vote with our children in mind — they can’t vote yet, so we have to think about how our ballot choices will affect their lives. And there’s at least one more very important message for midterm elections: since Puerto Rico doesn’t have any voice in the midterms, people in the states should think about how their choice will affect the Island.
No midterms for Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has no senators and no voting members of Congress. The resident commissioner, the Island’s representative in the House, is elected for a four-year term during general elections, along with the governor. Right now, Puerto Rico has a Republican governor and a Democratic resident commissioner. Before the current administration, the situation was reversed. Puerto Rico will probably be a swing state.
Right now, though, Puerto Rico cannot vote in presidential elections and since the Island’s presence in Congress consists of just the one representative elected alongside the governor, Puerto Rico voters can’t participate in the midterms at all.
Do you live in a state?
If you live in a state, you get to vote in the midterms. You may already have favorite candidates whom you respect. You may also vote for reasons other than how much you like an individual.
Here are some common reasons people choose a candidate:
- Some people choose by party: Republican or Democrat. In Puerto Rico, the national parties are not very important. It’s unusual to find someone who always votes Democrat because her papi was a Democrat. But in the states, it’s common. There are also many people who are faithful to one party or another because they believe in the principles of one of the national parties.
- Some people choose by candidate background. Voters often look at the qualifications of a candidate, their voting record, and the things they’ve said. to make sure the candidate is able to do a good job in the position they’re running for.
- Some people vote by issues. Voters often vote for someone because their positions of gun control or education or taxes match the voters’ ideas.
When you choose between candidates, find out who supports statehood for Puerto Rico. That’s an issue that affects the disenfranchised voters in Puerto Rico. It also affects all Americans, as the United States continues to face the embarrassment of owning a colony in the 21st century.
The next Senate will probably vote on Puerto Rico’s status. Puerto Rico has already officially requested statehood. If the Senate has a majority of pro-statehood senators — and pro-statehood is the majority position among Americans as a whole — Puerto Rico could soon be admitted as a state.
Another way to think of it
Don’t vote just for yourself can have another meaning. Take a friend with you! Does someone you know need a ride to the polls, help understanding the issues on the ballot, or just some encouragement? Step up and help.
Almost 90,000,000 eligible voters did not vote in the last presidential election. Many more are likely to skip the midterms, figuring the presidential election is the only important one. Your sister who is only now old enough to vote? Take her with you to the polls. Your buddy who didn’t vote in the last election? Give him a ride to the polls. If each of us takes one previously non-voting citizen to the polls with us, we could create real change.
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