There's a Reason for Low Voter Turnout in Puerto Rico

Posted by Liza Sabater, Culture Kitchen at 4:58 AM on June 2, 2008.

And guess why :

BECAUSE PUERTO RICANS KNOW THEY CAN'T VOTE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

"Most people in Puerto Rico, I would venture to guess, they are not even aware that there's a primary going on," said Luis Pabón-Roca, a local political analyst.

He said the political atmosphere on the island this week is subdued compared to the fever that sweeps the island before local elections.

Some poll workers in small towns started abandoning the polling stations because turnout was so low, he said.

Part of the reason for the lack of interest, he said, is because voters feel the primary isn't meaningful since Puerto Ricans cannot vote in the general election.

The Democratic and Republican parties run the primaries and caucuses, and they allow U.S. territories, such as the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, to take part in the process.

But only the 50 states and the District of Columbia vote in the general election.

El Nuevo Día reports the Board of Elections expected to have 600.000 voters. The Clinton campaign bargained on a million and more. Less than 400.000 people woke up this morning with the primaries in their minds.

As I said, when it comes to that "popular vote" tomfoolery, my people are not stupid. Puerto Ricans know their vote doesn't count.

Unfortunately, too many US voters have no idea about the political realities of Puerto Rico. And that's what's so indecent about the Clintonistas using the Puerto Rican turnout to solidify their claims of entitlement to the nomination.

Tagged as: puerto rico, voting rights, presidential election