William & Mary Law School | Election Law Society
By: Aaron Barden
Before this blog post begins, I would feel remiss and disingenuous if I did not remind the reader of the humanitarian crisis currently happening on the island of Puerto Rico, full of 3.5 million American citizens, as it continues to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria. I also would suggest that anyone clicking these links use a web browser with a translate webpage tool.
[Read more…] about How Puerto Rico’s Electoral System Sustains Its Multiple Parties
By: Hannah Whiteker
In January of this year, Puerto Rico’s Governor, Alejandro Garcia Padilla, made an announcement that would be political suicide for any politician in the mainland United States. Garcia Padilla, standing beside President Danilo Medina of the Dominican Republic, announced a proposal to broaden the voting franchise to include every resident of Puerto Rico, regardless of legal status. It is an established fact that illegal immigrants cannot vote in U.S. elections. This is also the current law in Puerto Rico. However, Garcia Padilla expressed his opinion that since every person who chooses Puerto Rico as his or her home is affected by the decisions that the government makes, all residents should have the right to participate in deciding who governs. So far, neither the Governor nor the members of his political party, the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), has drafted a bill on this issue. However, the Governor’s proposal sparked discussions about the constitutionality of giving illegal immigrants the right to vote, particularly given Puerto Rico’s relationship with U.S.
[Read more…] about Puerto Rico Might Expand the Franchise to Include Illegal Immigrants