Puerto Ricans head to polls today

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will compete today for Puerto Rico's 55 delegates, writes The Times' Louise Roug in this report.

"For Clinton and Obama, the Puerto Rico primary is another chance to appeal to Latinos, who are 15% of the U.S. population and whose votes could decide who becomes president," Roug writes.

"A recent report from the New Democrat Network, a partisan think tank in Washington, noted that Latinos have voted in record numbers during the primaries, tripling their turnout compared with 2004. Of those, 78% have voted Democratic, according to the report."

Meanwhile, Latin American and Latino entertainers are split over whom to endorse, according to this post by blogger Latina Lista. Former Bush supporter and Puerto Rican favorite son Ricky Martin is backing Hillary this time around. But other Spanish-language musicians such as Lila Downs and Paulina Rubio are going with Obama.

Photo: In this 2001 image, singer Ricky Martin dances with President-elect Bush, whom he then backed. Credit: Rick Bowmer, Associated Press

-- Reed Johnson in Mexico City

Comments

[Jose Carlos]

Myth: “Puerto Ricans don't get to vote in the general election.”

It is proper to state that US Presidential elections are not held in Puerto Rico.

Any, and I repeat, ANY citizen of the United States who resides in Puerto Rico is unable to vote in the US Presidential or Congressional elections. The inability to vote is not because of nationality, but because of the juridical constitutional relations between Puerto Rico and the United States. As a US territory, Downes v. Bidwell, 182 U.S. 244, Puerto Rico is unable to participate in US Presidential elections for the reason that such vote in only reserved to the US states. Of course, “Puerto Rico” does not vote, people vote. That means US citizen born in Puerto Rico, Californians residing in Puerto Rico or Bush if he PR resident—all are unable to vote.

Therefore, saying “Puerto Ricans don't get to vote in the general election” is confusing because it may suggest that a US Citizen born in NY would be able to vote in Puerto Rico. Also such commentary may suggest that a Puerto Rican US Citizen (individuals born in PR are US Citizens) are unable to vote in the in CA, FL or NY, for example.

Only the following is correct and proper: “National US [federal]general elections are not held in Puerto Rico”.