Hernández Responds to Puerto Rico Governor’s Executive Order & Legislature’s Resolution, Alerts Congress of Voter Disenfranchisement in Recent Puerto Rico Status Referendum
The locally-issued referendum excluded Puerto Rico’s current “Commonwealth” status as an option in the ballot, as a result forcing over 200,000 Puerto Ricans to cast blank or marked protest ballots
Congressman tells colleagues that rather focusing on the divisive issue of political status, he will work across the aisle to advance Puerto Rico’s economic development, tackle the energy crisis, and ensure better treatment of federal benefits for Puerto Ricans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to actions taken by the legislature and governor of Puerto Rico, Congressman Pablo José Hernández, Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, informed all members of Congress about voter disenfranchisement in Puerto Rico’s November 2024 status referendum.
In a Dear Colleague letter, Hernández responds to a resolution from the Puerto Rico Legislature and an executive order from the Governor, both citing the referendum results as a mandate for statehood. However, Hernández flagged that when over 200,000 blank or protest ballots are accounted for, statehood support drops to 49.1%. The Congressman underscored that the exclusion of the current “Commonwealth” status from the ballot was neither fair nor inclusive, and forced its supporters to vote for other options, or cast blank or protested ballots.
“Rather than focusing on the divisive issue of political status, I look forward to working in a bipartisan way to advance Puerto Rico’s economic development, tackle the energy crisis, and ensure better treatment of federal benefits for Puerto Ricans,” wrote Hernández.
Click HERE to read Congressman Hernández’s Dear Colleague letter.
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