Puerto Rico votes for full statehood

last updated 8 January 2015

Puerto Rican voters this week supported a non-binding referendum to become a full U.S. state. The measure, which passed by a slim majority, will now go to Congress for approval and, if passed, citizens in the 51st state would have the right to vote in all U.S. elections and to send representatives to Washington. They would, however, have to pay federal taxes. Puerto Rico is currently a U.S. territory; the island uses the dollar as its currency and allows its citizens to travel on American passports. “We’re doing okay, but we could do better,” said Jerome Lefebre, a young voter who supported the measure. “We would receive more benefits, a lot more financial help.”