The people of Puerto Rico have voted for it

The argument

As part of its territory status, there are certain goals and benchmarks that have to be met in order for Puerto Rico to become a state. One of those goals is a public vote on a statehood referendum. Puerto Rico has not just done this once—it's done this five times. Puerto Ricos's most recent referendum vote was in 2017, with an overwhelming 97% of the island voting in favor of statehood. Before that, in 2012, Puerto Rico held a two-part referendum vote. The first question asked whether Puerto Ricans should continue with the current political designation of the island as a territory, of which 54% of voters said "No." The second question asked what non-territorial option Puerto Ricans would prefer. The options were statehood, independence, or a sovereign nation in free association with the United States. Statehood received 61% of the vote, with sovereignty and independence receiving 33 and 5% of the vote, respectively, with almost 80% of the population voting in the referendum. Puerto Rico has met all of the qualifications to statehood and has voted multiple times in favor of formal statehood recognition, yet no bill or vote on the issue has been voted on in Congress. Another referendum will be held this November and is expected to pass. Puerto Ricans have been overwhelmingly in favor of statehood for a long time. It's time for Congress to make good on their promise to vote in favor of a statehood resolution.

Premises

Counter-arguments

While the statehood referendum in 2017 had 97% of voters in favor of statehood, only 23% of the population voted. Puerto Rico needs another referendum, with a much higher voter turnout, for Congress to consider Puerto Rico's statehood.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] No referendum is constitutionally required. Admission rests with Congress under Article IV, and states have been admitted by other routes; the plebiscites carry political weight but are not a qualification that, once met, obliges anyone to act. That five have been held is also evidence that the question remains unsettled rather than that it has been answered. [Rejecting P2] The two figures cannot be read together. The 97 per cent in 2017 came on a turnout of roughly 23 per cent after the main opposition parties called for a boycott, so it records the preference of those who took part rather than of the island. The 2012 ballot's second question was left blank by a very large number of voters, which is why the 61 per cent is disputed and why the statehood total fell short of a majority of ballots cast; later votes have been far closer. [Rejecting P3] "Democratic will" requires a result Congress can read as settled, and these do not supply one. The status question also turns on more than a count — federal tax treatment, the position of Spanish, party balance in the Senate and debt restructuring all bear on it, and the premise addresses none of them.