Puerto Rico Voting Requirements & Information
U.S. Vote Foundation’s Puerto Rico Voting Requirements and Information directory informs you of Puerto Rico voting rules and options. It focuses on Puerto Rico-specific voting guidelines and information for all voters, including domestic, overseas, and military voters. Here you can find out about Puerto Rico voter eligibility, voter ID requirements, registration, absentee and early voting options, ways to transmit voting documents and links to specific-Puerto Rico voting tools. It's an all-in-one Puerto Rico voting resource.
General Information
Registration
You can register to vote or update your registration information:
- At the local permanent registration board of the municipality or precinct of residence.
Early Voting
To vote early, voters must attend in person to one of the polling places in their senatorial district. Voters must be active in the Puerto Rico Registrar of Voters. In addition, voters must present a valid ID as required by election code, such as a driver's license, U.S. passport, or the voter identification card issued by the Puerto Rico State Election Commission.
The following categories of voters may be eligible for early or advance voting: A. Confined Voter – Any voter confined in penal institutions or juvenile institutions in Puerto Rico B. Elector Candidate – Any elector who in that electoral event is a primary candidate or a candidate for elected public office C. Voter in Accommodation Homes – All voters or those with special circumstances who reside in these places, even if it is not the address reported in their electoral registration. D. Voter with a Physical Impairment – Any voter with a physical impairment or blindness who, during the fifty (50) days prior to an election and until the day of the election, has been and will continue to use a wheelchair, crutches, equipment or devices indispensable to achieve their mobility; or who has an evident limitation to move by their legs, even if they do not use a support device E. Sole Caregiver Voter – Any Voter who is the only person available in the family unit of their home to care for children under fourteen (14) years of age, people with disabilities, and bedridden sick people in their homes F. Hospitalized Voter – Any voter who is confined as a patient in a hospital or long-term health care or treatment institution G. Voter at Work – Any voter who is a public, private, or self-employed worker who affirms that they must be at their place of employment within Puerto Rico, provided that it is located outside their domicile H. Traveling Voter – Any voter who, after the deadline for submitting Absentee or Early Voting applications had passed, became aware that they will be physically outside of Puerto Rico for any reason on election day, and that this knowledge arose before election day. I. Voter with Easy Access to Voting at Home – Any voter with a disability or evident limitation of mobility, or bedridden with a medical condition that prevents them from attending their polling place, or any voter eighty (80) years of age or older. Starting with the 2020 Election Cycle, they also have the right to claim Early Voting as a voting system that guarantees them access to exercise their right to vote privately and independently.
Absentee Voting
Residents may vote absentee if they meet the following legal requirements:
*To be an active voter in the Electoral Registry of the State Elections Commission of Puerto Rico and in no other jurisdiction *Having a domicile in Puerto Rico *Being physically absent on the day of an election
Absentee voting must be requested for each election by the voter on or before 45 days prior to election day at polling places.
Please visit the US Vote Disability Voting Guide to see accommodations for the registration and voting process.
Eligibility Requirements
You are eligible to vote in Puerto Rico if you:
- Are a U.S. citizen
- Are a resident of Puerto Rico
- Are at least 18 years old by Election Day
You are NOT eligible to vote in Puerto Rico if:
- A judge has specifically ruled that you are not able to vote.
People who are incarcerated for any reason can always vote in Puerto Rico.
Identification Requirements
Voter Registration
To register to vote in Puerto Rico you should provide both of the following:
Valid ID with photo issued by a Government Agency
Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number
The ID requirements for voter registration vary in Puerto Rico depending on your date and place of birth. Please inquire with the elections board.
Voting In-Person
In Puerto Rico, you need to show a valid ID to vote. You can use any ID from this list:
U.S. Passport
U.S. Global Entry Card
Valid Military ID
Valid Puerto Rico Driver's License
Valid Puerto Rico Voter ID Card
To request an absentee ballot, you must include the following on the application:
Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number
Voter Materials Transmission Options
Domestic Voter |
In-Person |
|
Fax |
|
Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voter Registration | |||||
| Absentee Ballot Request | |||||
| Blank Ballot To Voter | |||||
| Voted-Absentee Ballot Return |
State Lookup Tools – Am I Registered?
State Elections Website
Am I Registered?
State Voter Registration FAQ
Overseas / Military Voter Information
Eligibility Requirements
Overseas Voters
U.S. citizens living abroad have the right to vote as absentee voters, provided they are eligible to vote in their state. If you are living outside of the U.S. permanently, indefinitely, or temporarily, your voting rights stay with you, even if you never voted when you lived in the U.S. To vote from overseas:
- Complete and send an overseas voter registration/ballot request form to your election office in the U.S. This is one specific form that will register you as an overseas voter and request your absentee ballot – simultaneously.
Many states allow children who were born overseas, but never lived in the U.S., to use their U.S. parents’ last residence address to register.
Military Voters
Service members and their eligible family members living outside their voting jurisdiction (within or outside the U.S.) are able to vote as absentee voters.
- If you are a service member, or an eligible family member, there is a single form to file for both voter registration and ballot request. It is often called the “Federal Post Card Application” or the FPCA form. This form must be re-filed with your election office each time you change location.
To vote as a service member or eligible family member:
- Complete and send a voter registration/ballot request form “FPCA” to your election office in the U.S. It is the same form in all states.
Identification Requirements
Voting Overseas
U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:
U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
Voting Military
Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form ("FPCA"). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:
U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
Voter Materials Transmission Options
Overseas Voter |
In-Person |
|
Fax |
|
Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voter Registration | |||||
| Absentee Ballot Request | |||||
| Blank Ballot To Voter | |||||
| Voted-Absentee Ballot Return |
Military Voter |
In-Person |
|
Fax |
|
Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voter Registration | |||||
| Absentee Ballot Request | |||||
| Blank Ballot To Voter | |||||
| Voted-Absentee Ballot Return |