Puerto Rico Election Results: A Detailed Breakdown of the Vote
The electoral landscape of Puerto Rico was defined by a fierce competition between the island's primary political factions. With high voter engagement and razor-thin margins in the executive race, the results reflect a deeply divided electorate split between different visions for the territory's political status.
Key Facts
- Carlos Romero Barceló won the gubernatorial race with 47.22% of the vote.
- The New Progressive Party and Popular Democratic Party dominated the majority of the votes across all categories.
- Voter turnout for the Governor's race was high, reaching 88.26% of registered voters.
- The Popular Democratic Party secured a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The Gubernatorial Race
The race for Governor was an exceptionally close contest. Carlos Romero Barceló of the New Progressive Party emerged victorious, securing 759,926 votes. He was followed closely by Rafael Hernández Colón of the Popular Democratic Party, who received 756,889 votes—a difference of only a few thousand votes.
Smaller parties also maintained a presence in the race. Rubén Berríos of the Puerto Rican Independence Party garnered 87,272 votes (5.42%), while Luis Lausell Hernández of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party received 5,224 votes (0.32%).
[ไม่มีภาพประกอบ]Voter Participation and Validity
Out of 1,835,160 registered voters, 1,619,790 cast their ballots, resulting in a turnout of 88.26%. The vast majority of these were valid votes (99.35%), with only 10,479 ballots (0.65%) being marked as invalid or left blank.
Resident Commissioner Election
The Resident Commissioner—the non-voting representative for Puerto Rico in the U.S. House of Representatives—was also decided in a tight race. Baltasar Corrada del Río of the New Progressive Party won the seat with 760,484 votes (47.71%).
José Arsenio Torres of the Popular Democratic Party followed with 749,531 votes (47.02%), and Marta Font de Calero of the Puerto Rican Independence Party received 83,911 votes (5.26%).
Legislative Results
While the New Progressive Party took the executive branch, the Popular Democratic Party saw significant gains in the legislative bodies.
House of Representatives
In the House of Representatives, the Popular Democratic Party gained 8 seats, bringing their total to 26. Conversely, the New Progressive Party lost 8 seats, ending with 25. The Puerto Rican Independence Party and the Puerto Rican Socialist Party failed to secure any seats. Voter turnout for this specific race was 78.18%.
The Senate
The Senate mirrored the House results, with the Popular Democratic Party increasing its presence by 2 seats to reach a total of 15. The New Progressive Party saw a decrease of 2 seats, leaving them with 12. The Puerto Rican Independence Party did not win any seats in the Senate.
Election Summary Table
| Office | Winning Candidate/Party | Winning Percentage/Seats | Turnout/Total Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | Carlos Romero Barceló (NPP) | 47.22% | 88.26% |
| Resident Commissioner | Baltasar Corrada del Río (NPP) | 47.71% | N/A |
| House of Representatives | Popular Democratic Party | 26 Seats | 51 Total |
| Senate | Popular Democratic Party | 15 Seats | 27 Total |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the governorship of Puerto Rico?
Carlos Romero Barceló of the New Progressive Party won the election with 759,926 votes, representing 47.22% of the total valid votes.
Which party controlled the legislative branch?
The Popular Democratic Party controlled the legislature, winning 26 seats in the House of Representatives and 15 seats in the Senate.
What was the voter turnout for the Governor's race?
The turnout for the gubernatorial election was 88.26%, with 1,619,790 total votes cast out of 1,835,160 registered voters.
Who was elected as the Resident Commissioner?
Baltasar Corrada del Río of the New Progressive Party was elected Resident Commissioner with 760,484 votes (47.71%).
Did the Puerto Rican Independence Party win any legislative seats?
No, the Puerto Rican Independence Party did not secure any seats in either the House of Representatives or the Senate.