Washington, DC – Today, the Puerto Rico Statehood Council (PRSC) released a new poll of 800 likely voters in Puerto Rico, finding resounding continued support for statehood on the island with 67% supporting making the unincorporated territory a U.S. state. These results are consistent with the last four consecutive status referendums on the island, all of which have favored statehood, and the poll released this year by PRSC which showed strong support for statehood among Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics living in the 50 states.
Combined with Puerto Rico’s recent joint resolution urging Congress and the White House to enact binding legislation that includes an offer of statehood, the polling underscores the growing momentum behind the statehood movement.
“These findings reinforce the strength of statehood support among Puerto Ricans both on the island and across the mainland and highlight it as a driving issue for these voters,” said George Laws García, executive director of the Puerto Rico Statehood Council. “Puerto Ricans want the second-class citizenship under the current territory status to end. Those stateside agree that the 3.2 million U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico deserve the full representation and equal rights under the U.S. Constitution which are currently denied in Puerto Rico.”
When it comes to Puerto Rico voters’ views on statehood, key findings include:
- The majority of Puerto Rico voters (67%) support statehood
- On the island, voters favor statehood over independence by more than 4 to 1 (67% to 15%)
- More than half of Puerto Rico voters (55%) say they are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports statehood
- 60% believe statehood for Puerto Rico would improve the U.S. economy
“Puerto Rico’s voters continue to make clear what they want for their political future. Although they are not able to cast votes in the midterm elections next week, their votes set a mandate in support of statehood in 2012, 2017, 2020 and 2024, whose message will now be carried to the polls by Puerto Rican, Hispanic and allied voters stateside. After this election Congress and the White House must act to uphold America’s founding principle of government by the consent of the governed by granting Puerto Rico voters a binding vote on statehood,” concluded Laws García.
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The Puerto Rico Statehood Council is a Washington, D.C. based, non-partisan, 501(c)4 non-profit issue advocacy organization. We are dedicated to advancing the goal of full equality and democracy for the U.S. citizens of Puerto Rico through statehood.