‘Greatest probability we ever had’: Puerto Ricans to vote on statehood | United States Information

If all the political stars align, the bankrupt 3.2 million territory could have a real chance of statehood this time around.

When Puerto Ricans vote on November 3rd to elect their governor, they will be asked again if they want to be the 51st star on the American flag.

The state referendum in the bankrupt area of ​​3.2 million people is non-binding. And while this is the sixth time the topic has been on the ballot, boosters think this round will be different – if the political stars align.

If voters say “yes” to statehood, as they did in 2012 and 2017, if pro-statehood candidate Pedro Pierluisi wins, and if the Democrats take control of the US Congress, the Caribbean island could have the chance to become a state, organizers say .

In this case, the great state of Puerto Rico could get two seats in the US Senate and five in the House of Representatives. That has re-intrigued the topic amid partisan disputes in Washington, said William Villafane, a local senator and referendum coordinator for the pro-statehood New Progressive Party.

“Nationally, there is an impression that Puerto Rico is a Democrat and that these two additional seats would allow the Democrats to control the Senate,” he said. “This opened a window of time for us in the Democratic Party.”

If voters say yes to statehood, pro-statehood candidate Pedro Pierluisi wins, and Democrats take control of the US Congress, the Caribbean island could have a chance of becoming a state [File: Bloomberg]Many prominent Statehooder identify themselves as Republicans, but they are ready to promote the idea that the island is blue throughout if that will help advance the statehood issue.

“In reality, I think Puerto Rico would be a swing state or a battlefield state,” said Villafane.

With a poverty rate of 43%, Puerto Rico would be the poorest US state – far behind Mississippi with 20%. It would also be the most financially burdened. Puerto Rico and its agencies amassed $ 74 billion in debt before going bankrupt in 2017. It is still in court how to reduce debt and repair a broken pension system that owes $ 50 billion to current and future retirees.

Proponents of statehood say this is the only way to give Puerto Ricans a voice, voice and equality in federal aid programs. Critics say this would mean increasing federal taxes and wiping out the island’s unique culture – without necessarily addressing any of its pressing problems.

Polls show that Pierluisi is in a close race with Carlos Delgado Altieri of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), who opposes statehood. That means there is a real chance that voters will vote for statehood even if they vote an anti-statehood candidate, as they did during the referendum and 2012 election.

Nor is there any guarantee that regardless of who is in control, the US Congress will accept the Caribbean island as the first US state since 1959, when Hawaii and Alaska were founded.

Despite the challenges of threading the political needle, Villafane is optimistic.

“This is not just another referendum, but another step on our way to making Puerto Rico a state,” he said. This is the best chance we’ve ever had. “