Informed Voters Prefer Statehood for Puerto Rico

Status votes and polls alike show that most voters prefer statehood as the permanent political status for Puerto Rico. A recent national survey found that people prefer statehood so strongly that it will make them choose a candidate who supports statehood. This survey also found that people who know more about the subject are even more likely to choose statehood.

How do we know who’s more informed?

People were first asked how they felt about the issue. 71% of Puerto Rican voters and 68% of all Hispanic voters said they support statehood. That’s a clear majority.  Later in the interview,  the interviewer said, “If you knew the following were true, would each statement make you MUCH More Likely or SOMEWHAT More Likely to support Puerto Rico becoming a U.S. state? If it makes no difference, select that choice.”

Then the interviewer shared a fact, and the respondent said how much difference that would make in their level of support for statehood.

For examples, when people learned that “The number of residents in Puerto Rico who join and serve in the U.S. military is the second highest participation rate compared to all 50 states. Only Nevada has more residents than Puerto Rico that join the U.S. military,’ 80% of all Hispanic voters and 81% of Puerto Rican voters said they felt more supportive of Puerto Rico statehood.

Realizing that Puerto Ricans play such an important part in U.S. defense made people support statehood more strongly than before. The majority already supported statehood, but knowing this fact still made a difference.

What facts did interviewers share?

Here are some of the facts that made the biggest difference to the respondents:

• Puerto Rico plays a large role in America’s manufacturing and supply-chain, especially in medicines and medical devices. Making Puerto a U.S. state would strengthen America’s manufacturing and supply-chain resilience and reduce outsourcing our manufacturing to China.

• Statehood would provide more protections and benefits to Puerto Rico residents.

• Puerto Rico’s residents are U.S. citizens who have the same responsibilities as citizens in the 50 states, but they do not have the same rights.

• The U.S. Congress approved Puerto Ricans being granted U.S. citizenship in 1917, which historically is a first step for becoming a state.

• Making Puerto Rico a U.S. state would generate billions of dollars in new tax revenue.

• Residents in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens but have no representation in Congress and can’t vote for congress or President.

Did you know these facts? Do your family and friends know? Does your congressperson know?  The reason more informed voters prefer statehood is that the facts prove that Puerto Rico needs and deserves statehood.