On December 31st, 2020, the official results of the 2020 status vote were posted on the official State Elections Commission (CEEPUR) website.

In all, there were 1,248,176 votes cast in the plebiscite.

• 655,505 votes, or 52.52%, were pro-statehood “Yes” votes.
• 592,671, or 47.48%, were “No” votes, which represented any political status except for statehood

This is a clear majority; the “Yes” votes won.  More voters selected statehood in the plebiscite than voted for pro-statehood Governor Pedro Pierluisi, who assumed office in early January.  In fact, the numbers indicate that some voters voted against the pro-statehood governor but still chose statehood for Puerto Rico.

The preliminary certification of the vote showed a majority for statehood of 52.34%. The final results show a 52.52% majority for statehood.

Next steps

Following the 2017 plebiscite, the government of Puerto Rico made its first official petition for statehood. An admissions bill was filed in Congress, but it did not advance.

A simple majority vote is sufficient to pass legislation to admit Puerto Rico as a State.

If the President of the United States signs the bill after passage by Congress, Puerto Rico would become the 51st state of the Union.

President-elect Joe Biden has already expressed his support for statehood for Puerto Rico, and the Biden-Harris Plan is compatible with statehood. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has spoken out for equality for Puerto Rico.

However, it is Congress, not the White House, that makes the initial decision to advance the proposal to admit a new State.