2020 Puerto Rican general election

General elections were held in Puerto Rico on November 3, 2020, to elect the officials of the Puerto Rican government who will serve from January 2021 to January 2025, most notably the position of Governor and Resident Commissioner. In addition, there was a non-binding status referendum to ask voters if Puerto Rico should become the 51st state of the Union.

2020 Puerto Rican general election

← 2016November 3, 20202024 →
Gubernatorial election
 
NomineePedro PierluisiCarlos Delgado AltieriAlexandra Lúgaro
PartyNew ProgressivePopular DemocraticCitizens' Victory
Popular vote427,016407,817179,265
Percentage33.16%31.67%13.92%

 
NomineeJuan DalmauCésar Vázquez Muñiz
PartyIndependenceProject Dignity
Popular vote175,40287,379
Percentage13.54%6.79%

Results by municipality

Governor before election

Wanda Vázquez Garced
New Progressive

Elected Governor

Pedro Pierluisi
New Progressive

Resident Commissioner election
 
CandidateJenniffer González-ColónAníbal Acevedo ViláZayira Jordán Conde
PartyNew ProgressivePopular DemocraticCitizens' Victory
AllianceRepublicanDemocratic
Popular vote512,697400,412157,679
Percentage41.14%32.13%12.65%

 
CandidateAda Norah HenriquezLuis Roberto Piñero
PartyProject DignityIndependence
Popular vote95,87378,503
Percentage7.69%6.30%

Results by municipality

Resident Commissioner before election

Jenniffer González
New Progressive

Elected Resident Commissioner

Jenniffer González
New Progressive

Incumbent New Progressive Party Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced, who succeeded to the governorship on August 7, 2019, was eligible to run for a full term in office, which she announced on December 16, 2019. However, Vázquez Garced lost her bid when former Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi won the New Progressive Party membership vote on the nomination for governor.[1]

Pierluisi ultimately won the election on November 3, 2020, albeit by a narrow margin of 1.37%. As a result, this election was the closest race of the 2020 gubernatorial election cycle. Pierlusi's winning 33% of the vote was the lowest obtained by a successful gubernatorial candidate in Puerto Rico since the first direct election in 1948. Jenniffer González-Colón was re-elected as Resident Commissioner.

Electoral system

The Governor and Resident Commissioner are elected via first-past-the-post voting. The Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico is the only member of the United States House of Representatives who is elected every four years instead of a two-year term.

Candidates

Governor

New Progressive Party

On March 3, 2019, Ricardo Rosselló announced he would seek re-election as governor in the 2020 elections; however, following the Telegramgate scandal and subsequent protests in front of La Fortaleza, Rosselló announced on July 21, 2019, that he would withdraw his bid for re-election. Shortly thereafter, on August 2, he resigned as governor.

On September 9, 2019, Pedro Pierluisi, who served briefly as de facto governor following Rosselló's resignation, announced he would seek the PNP nomination for governor for the 2020 elections. On December 19, 2019, Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced, who was elevated to governor on August 7, 2019, after Pierluisi's appointment was deemed unconstitutional, announced her intention to seek re-election to a full term as governor.

On August 16, 2020, in an extended primary process marred by troubles delivering ballots to polling places for the original primary date of August 9, Pierluisi defeated Vázquez Garced.[2]

After the defeat of Popular Democratic candidate David Bernier in the 2016 Puerto Rico gubernatorial elections, the party was mostly divided in opinions on how to move forward to the 2020 elections. While many in the party wanted to keep going with the same ideology of the Free Associated State, Carmen Yulín Cruz expressed a desire to create a new movement in the party, one that would support a free association of Puerto Rico as an independent country from the United States.[3][4]

On August 16, 2020, in an extended primary process marred by troubles delivering ballots to polling places for the original primary date of August 9, Delgado defeated Bhatia and Cruz.

Other candidates

On December 27, 2019, the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) filed its list of candidates for the general election, including Sen. Juan Dalmau as governor.[5] Dalmau previously ran as the PIP candidate in the 2012 Puerto Rico gubernatorial election.

After the defeat of Alexandra Lúgaro as an independent candidate and Rafael Bernabe Riefkohl as the candidate for the Working People's Party in the 2016 Puerto Rico gubernatorial election, the two candidates joined with other Puerto Rican politicians in March 2019 to form a new political party called Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana (Citizen's Victory Movement). On November 19, 2019, Alexandra Lúgaro announced her second run for governor, this time running as the MVC candidate.

Proyecto Dignidad was certified as an official party by the CEE (State Commission on Elections) on January 22, 2020. It needed 47,406 petitions of endorsement to be certified, of which it received 47,856. [6] On May 20, 2020, the party announced that César Vazquez would be their gubernatorial nominee.[7][8]

On May 5, 2020, the CEE (State Commission on Elections) certified the candidacy of Eliezer Molina after a legal dispute over the amount of endorsements required to ratify his nomination.[9][10][11]

Resident Commissioner

On November 3, 2019, incumbent resident commissioner Jenniffer González of the PNP announced that she would run for a second term for the office of resident commissioner.

On December 10, 2019, former governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá of the PPD announced that he would run for a second non-consecutive term for resident commissioner. His first term was from 2001 to 2005. He became the official nominee on January 31, 2020, after his opponent José Nadal Power did not receive enough endorsements to officialize his candidacy.[12]

On December 27, 2019, the Puerto Rican Independence Party nominated Dr. Luis Roberto Piñero for resident commissioner.

On February 5, 2020, the Citizen's Victory Movement had a general assembly, where Dr. Zayira Jordán Conde was chosen as the candidate for resident commissioner.

The final candidates were:

Senate

House of Representatives

Referendum

The referendum asked one yes-or-no question:[13]

"¿Debe Puerto Rico ser admitido inmediatamente dentro de la Unión como un Estado?" (Should Puerto Rico be admitted immediately into the Union as a State?)[14]

There were 655,505 votes in favor of statehood (52.52%) and 592,671 votes opposed (47.48%).[15]The referendum was non-binding, as the power to grant statehood lies with the United States Congress.

Opinion polls

Governor

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Pedro Pierluisi (PNP-D)Charlie Delgado (PPD)Juan Dalmau (PIP)Alexandra Lúgaro (MVC)César Vázquez (PD)OtherUndecided
The Research Office/El Nuevo DíaOctober 27–30, 20201000 (RV)± 3%35%34%10%11%5%2%[b]3%
Jorge Benítez Nazario/Radio Isla/Telemundo Puerto RicoOctober 23–November 1, 20201,010 (LV)± 2.5%32%35%15%11%3%1%[c]
Data for ProgressOctober 19–26, 2020439 (LV)± 5%39%35%8%10%1%2%[d]5%
Radio Isla/Jorge BenítezOctober 12–17, 2020676 (RV)± 3.16%31%35%14%12%1%1%[e]5%
Gaither International/El VoceroSeptember 21 – October 6, 20202,401 (A)± 2%27%24%8%9%2%6%[f]23%
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldOctober 1–5, 20201,200 (LV)31%24%8%9%3%7%[g]18%[h]
El Nuevo DíaSeptember 19–23, 20201,000 (RV)± 3.1%38%37%6%13%1%2%[i]5%[h]
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldSeptember 14–18, 2020803 (RV)29%27%6%8%3%9%[j]17%[h]
Becaon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldJuly 20–26, 2020802 (V)26%24%7%6%2%18%[k]16%[h]
El Nuevo DíaFebruary 21–25, 20201,000 (RV)± 3.1%40%19%7%6%4%[l]18%[m]6%[h]
Hypothetical polling
with Pedro Pierluisi
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Pedro Pierluisi (PNP-D)Eduardo Bhatia (PPD-D)Juan Dalmau Ramírez (PIP)Alexandra Lúgaro (MVC)OtherUndecided
Becaon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldJuly 20–26, 2020802 (V)27%16%7%7%26%[n]17%[h]
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldMay 3–7, 2020903 (LV)25%15%5%8%34%[o]14%[h]
Diario Las AméricasMarch 30-April 21, 20201,500 (RV)± 2.6%42%22%15%10%11%
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldMarch, 2020– (V)[p]22%20%5%7%28%[q]18%[h]
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldFebruary, 2020– (V)[p]29%20%5%8%24%[r]14%[h]
El Nuevo DíaFebruary 21–25, 20201,000 (RV)± 3.1%38%23%6%7%20%[s]6%[h]
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Pedro Pierluisi (PNP-D)Carmen Yulín Cruz (PPD-D)Juan Dalmau Ramírez (PIP)Alexandra Lúgaro (MVC)OtherUndecided
Diario Las AméricasMarch 30-April 21, 20201,500 (RV)± 2.6%42%21%14%12%12%
El Nuevo DíaFebruary 21–25, 20201,000 (RV)± 3.1%40%19%7%6%22%[t]6%[h]
with Wanda Vázquez
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Wanda Vázquez (PNP-R)Eduardo Bhatia (PPD-D)Juan Dalmau Ramírez (PIP)Alexandra Lúgaro (MVC)OtherUndecided
Becaon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldJuly 20–26, 2020802 (V)24%17%9%7%27%[u]16%[h]
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldMay 3–7, 2020903 (LV)29%14%5%8%31%[v]14%[h]
Diario Las AméricasMarch 30-April 21, 20201,500 (RV)± 2.6%41%27%12%9%11%
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldFebruary, 2020– (V)[p]26%20%4%9%27%[w]11%[h]
El Nuevo DíaFebruary 21–25, 20201,000 (RV)± 3.1%40%20%7%6%21%[x]6%[h]
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Wanda Vázquez (PNP-R)Carmen Yulín Cruz (PPD-D)Juan Dalmau Ramírez (PIP)Alexandra Lúgaro (MVC)OtherUndecided
Diario Las AméricasMarch 30-April 21, 20201,500 (RV)± 2.6%46%21%12%10%11%
El Nuevo DíaFebruary 21–25, 20201,000 (RV)± 3.1%41%15%6%5%21%[x]6%[h]
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Wanda Vázquez (PNP-R)Charlie Delgado (PPD)Juan Dalmau Ramírez (PIP)Alexandra Lúgaro (MVC)OtherUndecided
Becaon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldJuly 20–26, 2020802 (V)24%23%7%7%23%[y]17%[h]
El Nuevo DíaFebruary 21–25, 20201,000 (RV)± 3.1%42%20%5%6%21%[x]6%[h]

Resident Commissioner

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Jenniffer González (PNP-R)Aníbal Acevedo Vilá (PPD-D)Luis Roberto Piñero (PIP)Zayira Jordán Conde (MVC)Ada Norah Henriquez (PD)OtherUndecided
The Research Office/El Nuevo DíaOctober 27–30, 20201000 (RV)± 3%44%32%7%9%4%4%
Jorge Benítez Nazario/Radio Isla/Telemundo Puerto RicoOctober 23 – November 1, 20201,010 (LV)± 2.5%43%39%7%4%3%
Data For ProgressOctober 19–26, 2020439 (LV)± 5.0%46%34%4%8%0%0%[z]7%
Radio Isla/Jorge BenítezOctober 12–17, 2020676 (RV)± 3.16%43%40%7%2%2%6%
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldOctober 13–15, 2020809 (RV)44%26%5%2%7%[aa]16%[ab]
Gaither International/El VoceroSeptember 21 – October 6, 20202,401 (A)± 2%44%16%3%5%3%6%[ac]5%
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldOctober 1–5, 20201,200 (LV)47%22%7%2%8%[ad]14%[ab]
El Nuevo DíaSeptember 19–23, 20201,000 (RV)± 3.1%43%33%6%11%1%1%[ae]5%[ab]
Becaon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldSeptember 14–18, 2020803 (RV)51%18%7%3%8%[af]13%[ab]
Radio Isla/Jorge BenítezJuly 28–August 3, 2020983 (LV)± 2.5%40%34%6%8%3%9%
Becaon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldJuly 20–26, 2020802 (V)50%21%4%2%10%[ag]12%[ab]
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldMay 3–7, 2020903 (LV)48%15%4%25%[ah]8%[ab]
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldMarch, 2020– (V)[ai]32%21%5%26%[aj]16%[ab]
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldFebruary, 2020– (V)[ai]39%22%5%25%[ak]9%[ab]
Hypothetical polling
with Generic Project Dignity
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Jenniffer González (PNP-R)Aníbal Acevedo Vilá (PPD-D)Luis Roberto Piñero (PIP)Zayira Jordán Conde (MVC)Generic Project DignityOtherUndecided
El Nuevo DíaFebruary 21–25, 20201,000 (RV)± 3.1%41%20%5%5%4%19%[al]6%[ab]

San Juan Mayoralty

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size[a]
Margin
of error
Rossana
Lopez (PPD)
Miguel
Romero (PNP)
Manuel
Natal (MVC)
Adrian
Gonzalez (PIP)
Nelson
Rosario (PD)
OtherUndecided
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldOctober 13–15, 2020258 (RV)26%37%10%2%1%2%[am]23%[an]
Gaither International/El VoceroOctober 1–7, 2020500 (V)± 4%17%38%18%2%1%24%

Referendum

Poll sourceDate(s)

administered

Sample

size[a]

Margin

of error

YesNoOther /

Undecided

Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldSeptember 14–18, 2020803 (V)± 3.5%53%35%12%[ao]
Beacon Research/Puerto Rico HeraldJuly 20–26, 2020802 (V)± 3.5%54%33%14%[ap]

Results

Governor

The gubernatorial election was won by former resident commissioner Pedro Pierluisi (PNP/D), narrowly defeating Isabela Mayor Carlos Delgado (PPD/I). The margin of victory was of 1.49%, making it the third closest election in the last 20 years, the former being the 2004 election (0.18%) and the 2012 election (0.7%). In a surprising turn of events, all five parties remained registered, including the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) which had failed to remain registered in the last four elections.[16]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Pedro PierluisiNew Progressive Party427,01633.16
Carlos Delgado AltieriPopular Democratic Party407,81731.67
Alexandra LúgaroMovimiento Victoria Ciudadana179,26513.92
Juan DalmauPuerto Rican Independence Party174,40213.54
César Vázquez MuñizProyecto Dignidad87,3796.79
Eliezer Molina PérezIndependent8,7510.68
Write-ins3,1150.24
Total1,287,745100.00
Valid votes1,287,74599.70
Invalid votes8380.06
Blank votes3,0550.24
Total votes1,291,638100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,355,89454.83
Source: CEEPUR

Resident commissioner

The resident commissioner election was won by incumbent resident commissioner Jennifer Gonzalez (PNP/R), defeating former governor Anibal Acevedo Vila (PPD/D) by a wide margin (9.02%). Gonzalez received the most votes out of any candidate. She will become the first female and youngest resident commissioner to be re-elected to her seat.[17]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Jenniffer González-ColónNew Progressive Party512,69741.14
Aníbal Acevedo ViláPopular Democratic Party400,41232.13
Zayira Jordán CondeMovimiento Victoria Ciudadana157,67912.65
Ada Norah HenriquezProyecto Dignidad95,8737.69
Luis Roberto PiñeroPuerto Rican Independence Party78,5036.30
Write-ins9280.07
Total1,246,092100.00
Valid votes1,246,09299.69
Invalid votes8380.07
Blank votes3,0550.24
Total votes1,249,985100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,355,89453.06
Source: Puerto Rico Election Archive

Senate

While the New Progressive Party lost their 2/3 majority, the Popular Democratic Party failed to get the 1/2 majority by two seats. This senate will be the most diverse, having at least one senator of each party, including one independent senator.[18][19]

PartyAt-largeDistrictTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
New Progressive Party404,11433.344859,71956.07610
Popular Democratic Party378,73831.25283,6895.461012
Puerto Rican Independence Party136,67911.281205,13713.3801
Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana133,06910.982324,31921.1502
Proyecto Dignidad88,7167.32159,1893.8601
Independents69,8105.7611
Write-ins9900.0801,1190.0700
Total1,212,116100.00111,533,172100.001627
Valid votes1,212,11699.12
Invalid votes9910.08
Blank votes9,8020.80
Total votes1,222,909100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,355,89451.91
Source: Puerto Rico Election Archive

House of Representatives

The New Progressive Party lost their 2/3 majority and the Popular Democratic Party gained enough seats to receive the 1/2 majority. This House of Representatives will be the most diverse, having at least one representative of each party.[20][21]

PartyAt-largeDistrictTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Popular Democratic Party435,32536.032459,36839.092426
New Progressive Party408,86933.845461,32339.261621
Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana154,97112.822128,79710.9602
Puerto Rican Independence Party127,57710.561102,2668.7001
Proyecto Dignidad81,3606.73118,7901.6001
Independents3,2770.2800
Write-ins2940.0201,2080.1000
Total1,208,396100.00111,175,029100.004051
Valid votes1,208,39699.111,175,02999.09
Invalid votes9910.089910.08
Blank votes9,8020.809,8020.83
Total votes1,219,189100.001,185,822100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,355,89451.752,355,89450.33
Source: Puerto Rico Election Archive

Mayoral

The Popular Democratic Party kept the majority of municipalities, but it lowered from 45 to 41. Many incumbent mayors lost their races after years in the position, like Ponce (12 years under PNP) and Humacao (20 years under PPD).[22] The closest race was of Guánica, where both Ismael Rodríguez (PPD)[23] and Edgardo Cruz (Ind)[24] claimed victory. At the end, the Supreme Court confirmed Rodríguez as the winner.[25]

PartyMayoralties
Popular Democratic Party41
New Progressive Party37
Puerto Rican Independence Party0
Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana0
Proyecto Dignidad0
Independents0
Total78
Source: CEEPUR

Referendum

The option of "yes" won in the referendum, making the third time statehood won the majority of votes. The referendum is non-binding, as the power to grant statehood lies with the United States Congress.[26]

ChoiceVotes%
For655,50552.52
Against592,67147.48
Total1,248,176100.00
Valid votes1,248,17696.89
Invalid votes4640.04
Blank votes39,5463.07
Total votes1,288,186100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,355,89454.68
Source: Puerto Rico Election Archive

Notes

References

Official campaign websites