Divided Puerto Ricans vote on whether to become U.S. state
Puerto Ricans headed to the polls on Sunday to decide whether or not they want their economically struggling U.S. territory to become the 51st U.S. state, although a vote in favor would likely face an uphill battle in Congress.
The island has $70 billion in debt, a 45-percent poverty rate, woefully underperforming schools, and near-insolvent pension and health systems.
3.5M population
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-puertorico-debt-vote-idUSKBN19204O
The question at the heart of the non-binding referendum has been asked of Puerto Rican voters before — four times, in fact.
In the most recent vote, which was held in 2012, the island opted for statehood, though many people argued the answers on the two-question ballot proved inconclusive. And Congress, the ultimate arbiter of the island's bid for statehood, never picked up the matter.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/06/11/532482957/puerto-rico-votes-on-statehood-though-congress-will-make-final-call