Statehood ahead in status consultation, at-large legislative races mixed in early going

Villalba Mayor Luis Javier Hernández of the Popular Democratic was in contention for an at-large seat in the island Senate. (Facebook via Luis Javier Hernández)

By The Star Staff

With almost 10% of the vote counted at press time on Tuesday, preliminary results showed the statehood option winning the status referendum held with the 2024 general election and mixed results, so far, in the at-large House and Senate seats.

Statehood at press time had 57% of the vote followed by the independence option with 33.2% of the vote. The free association option obtained 9.62% of the vote.

Through the status vote, voters had a chance to express their desire for decolonization. The non-binding plebiscite had the options of statehood, independence, or free association under international law. Under free association, a former colony achieves the separate sovereignty of independence while entering into a revocable power-sharing arrangement with another country.

Nonetheless, the U.S. Congress is the only entity with the power to change Puerto Rico’s status.

Puerto Rico cannot become a state of the union unless Congress admits it.

Puerto Ricans are unable to vote for U.S. senators, representatives and the U.S. president. The island, as a U.S. territory, has a non-voting resident commissioner in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, the at-large House vote with over 10% of the votes counted showed Popular Democratic Party (PDP) Rep. Héctor Ferrer, Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) Rep. Denis Márquez, PDP candidate Swanny Enit Vargas, PDP candidate Gabriel López, PDP candidate Ramón Torres, New Progressive Party (NPP) Rep. José “Pichy” Torres, NPP Rep. Lourdes Ramos, NPP Rep. Gabriel Rodríguez Aguiló, Dignity Project Rep. Lisie Burgos, NPP Rep. José Pérez and NPP Rep. Tatiana Pérez vying for the 11 coveted positions. Trailing behind were veteran NPP Rep. José Aponte and independent candidate Luis Raúl Torres.

Also with over 10% of the votes counted, PIP Sen. María de Lourdes Santiago, PDP candidate Luis Javier Hernández, NPP Sen. Thomas Rivera Schatz, PDP Sen. José Luis Dalmau, former Comerio Mayor José Josian Santiago of the PDP, PDP candidate Ada Alvarez Conde, Dignity Project Sen. Joanne Rodríguez, NPP candidate Ángel Toledo López, NPP candidate Roxanna Soto, NPP Sen. Gregorio Matias, NPP candidate Leyda Cruz were in the mix for the 11 at-large seats in the upper chamber. NPP Sen. Keren Riquelme and independent candidate José Vargas Vidot were trailing behind.