I've heard that the reason Puerto Ricans can't vote is because Puerto Rico isn't a state and it is states that choose the president, not voters. But what about expats living abroad? Do they just get to pick which state gets their vote? If so, couldn't Puerto Ricans do that too?And what about people in DC? Where do their electoral college votes come from?
I'm sure I'm missing something here, I'm just not sure what.
Puerto Rico ≠ Puerto Ricans
Puerto Rico doesn't get to vote. So anyone who is a registered resident of Puerto Rico, regardless of birth location, does not get to vote in federal elections. Full stop.
Puerto Ricans are US citizens with all the rights and privileges that go with that. They can vote in federal elections as long as they are not a registered resident of Puerto Rico. So if someone is born in Puerto Rico, moves to Florida and declares that their place of residence, then moves to Paris, France. They can vote via absentee ballot.
TL;DR: Puerto Ricans, yes. Puerto Rico, no.
just
It's not simple. The history, government, and politics sections of the Wikipedia article on Puerto Rico is a great place to start.
Basically the article says they don't pay taxes, don't have full protection under the US Constitution, have to obey US laws and are subject to the powers of the US Congress and President, have no voting rights, are subject to the draft, considered US citizens, etc.
So that basically sounds like a colony.
I think many people would agree with you. Not all.
Personally, I do think Puerto Rico is basically a colony in all but name. But I know people living in Puerto Rico now who disagree. And I tend to defer to the people actually living in The Place when it comes to discussions like this.
The Wikipedia article on the Puerto Rico statehood movement might also be interesting to you if you didn't find it yourself already. Puerto Rico has had several referendums in recent years, on one of them:
the fourth referendum, held in November 2012, asked voters (1) whether they wanted to maintain the current political status of Puerto Rico and, if not, (2) which alternative status they prefer. Of the fifty-four percent (54.0%) who voted "No" on maintaining the status quo, 61.11% chose statehood, 33.34% chose free association, and 5.55% chose independence
So this is where I'm confused because if I (an American citizen and resident) move to Japan, I can still vote. If I move to Puerto Rico, does that mean I can no longer vote?
The key is where in the US are you a registered resident before you move to Japan. Please don't forget that Puerto Rico is not a foreign country. Puerto Rico is still the United States. So if you are a resident of Florida before going to Japan, you can vote. If you are a resident of Florida, move to Puerto Rico, but don't change your residency away from Florida, you can vote. If you are a resident of Puerto Rico, you cannot vote. That residence status applies to all US citizens. Residence in Puerto Rico eliminates your right to vote in US federal elections.
They would have to establish residency in one of the states before moving abroad.
If I, say, moved from PR to DC and registered as a voter there, I could vote as an overseas Amerikkkan. I think
It would make more sense to move to Ohio or Pennsylvania to try to swing them back to Blue.
