As a U.S. territory, Puerto Ricans have U.S. citizenship but are not allowed to vote

Puerto Ricans requested statehood on Nov. 3, 2020, with 52.3% of voters asking to change the island’s status from unincorporated territory to a U.S. state. 

This is the sixth time statehood has been on the ballot since Puerto  Rico ratified its Constitution in 1952. Voters rejected the status change in 1967, 1993, and 1998. 

The 2012 election results were unclear because some voters did not answer both parts of a two-part statehood question. In 2017 statehood won decisively, albeit with a very low turnout of around 23%.

Puerto Rico didn’t become the 51st state then, and it is unlikely to achieve statehood any time soon. Only Congress can add new states to the Union, via an Admission Act or House Resolution that requires approval by a simple majority in the House and Senate.