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Puerto Rico Status Plebiscite

RACE DETAILS

Parents

> United States > Puerto Rico > Referenda > Puerto Rican Political Status

Office

N/A

Honorific

N/A - Abbr:

Type

Referendum

Filing Deadline

December 00, 1998 - 12:00pm Central

Polls Open

December 13, 1998 - 06:00am Central

Polls Close

December 13, 1998 - 01:00pm Central

Term Start

December 14, 1998 - 12:00pm

Term End

January 03, 2013 - 12:00pm

Turnout

44.47% Total Population

Contributor

Scott³

Last Modified

TX DEM February 18, 2012 01:34pm

Data Sources

Puerto Rico Elections [Link]

Description

This plebiscite provided for additional voting options for political status, instead of
the usual three of Commonwealth, Statehood or Independence.

The Free Association option - basically a transitional quasi-independence status.

"In this plebiscite, the leadership for the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) backed
continued commonwealth status, but campaigned in favor of “none of the above”
because of disagreement with the “territorial” definition of the commonwealth option
on the ballot." [Link]

The end result was basically for continued status quo, with many unhappy with the
choices offered. Seemingly, the option that was favored by the plurality would have
been "Enhanced Commonwealth" which was not an option in this plebiscite. It would
"mix-and-match the most beneficial features of statehood and separate nationality." [Link]