The status vote coming up on June 11th, 2017, will determine the future of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico’s voters will choose between statehood and independence, determining whether Puerto Rico will be the 51st sovereign state of the United States, or an independent nation.
Only residents of Puerto Rico will be allowed to vote. Residents of Puerto Rico who are not currently in Puerto Rico can vote with an absentee ballot.
Who can use an absentee ballot?
- Residents of Puerto Rico who are on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard of Puerto Rico.
- Students whose legal residence is in Puerto Rico, who are studying at an accredited educational institution outside of Puerto Rico.
- People who are working in the Department of Labor and Human Resources of Puerto Rico’s Program of Agricultural Jobs outside Puerto Rico.
- Residents of Puerto Rico who are in the diplomatic or other foreign service.
- The spouses and dependent children or relatives of the people listed.
- Crew members of commercial airlines and merchant marines who will be working outside of Puerto Rico on June 11.
- Members of the police department who will be on active duty during the hours of voting.
- Puerto Rican voters who because of illness or disability, or because of their job, find it impossible to vote at the polls on June 11.
- Puerto Rican voters who are in jail or prison.
- Members of the State Elections Commission, Vice-Presidents and Secretaries, Alternate Commissioners, Members of the Local Election Commissions, their alternates and members of the Board of Registration, as well as employees of the State Commission of Elections.
How can you get an absentee ballot?
You must send a letter to the Elections Commission 60 days before the election. The letter must contain this information:
- Your full name, including both paternal and maternal family names.
- Names of your father and mother
- Sex
- Date of birth
- Election number
- Address of your home in Puerto Rico
- Current temporary address
- Mailing address to which the ballot should be sent
- Reason for not being able to go to the polls on election day.
If you are registered to vote in a state…
If you live in a state, you cannot vote in the plebiscite. However, you can alert your congressional representatives that you care about the status of Puerto Rico. However the status vote goes in Puerto Rico, Congress must take action to change the status of Puerto Rico. Congress will only understand the importance of the referendum if we tell them.
One response
To the respective senator’s in the state of Florida, I care about Puerto Rico’s status! I definitely support for the Island to become the 51 state of the United States! I believe that its about time! By the way, i’m very proud to be a US. citizen! 👍