How to Vote in Puerto Rico’s 2024 Elections

En español

• Deadline to request an absentee ballot: Saturday, Sept. 21 
• Deadline to register to vote: Saturday, Sept. 21  
• Last day to return absentee ballots: Tuesday, Nov. 5 (postmarked)
• Early voting: Saturday, Oct. 26, through Monday, Nov. 4

• Voter registration: Check your registration status on the registered voter services page of the State Elections Commission (CEE) website. 

• Absentee voting: Qualified voters who are not in Puerto Rico on Election Day may vote absentee. Voters can request absentee ballots by email or in person.  

• Early voting: Early voting is limited to certain voters and must be requested in person at least 50 days before the general election. 

• Voting at the polls: Polls are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A photo ID (such as a driver’s license, voter ID card or U.S. passport) is required.

Dennis M. Rivera-Pichardo/GDA/AP Images

The State Elections Commission (CEE) launched the Electronic Voter Registry (eRE), where changes and requests can be made electronically and in real time. To make a request, you must create an account. Services available through the eRE include registering to vote, reactivating an account and changing your address. 

To register and vote in Puerto Rico, you must be a U.S. citizen and live on the island, among other requirements. The deadline to register to vote in the general election is Saturday, Sept. 21. Register in person or online.  

• In person: Visit the office of the Permanent Registration Board (JIP, Junta de Inscripción Permanente) for your municipality or electoral precinct. JIP offices are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Check the directory to locate the nearest office or call 787-777-8682, ext. 2362. 

• Online: Create an account on the Electronic Voter Registry web page and have your personal information on hand. Once you have an active account, you will be able to register.  

If you were born in Puerto Rico, provide a valid photo ID issued by the territory, municipal or federal government, as well as the last four digits of your Social Security number to register to vote. If you were born outside the island but in a U.S. state or territory, provide your original birth certificate or valid U.S. passport. If you were born abroad, provide a valid U.S. passport or a certificate of naturalization. 
 

You cannot register to vote on Election Day in Puerto Rico.

Have your personal information and electoral number on hand and the mailing address where you wish to receive your ballot. Voters can request an absentee ballot if they affirm they will be physically away from Puerto Rico on Election Day.

• Online: Download the application, fill it out, sign it and email it to the Absentee and Early Vote Administrative Board (JAVAA) at java@cee.pr.gov. 

• In person: Applications are available in the offices of the JIP. Search the directory to find your nearest office or call 787-777-8682, ext. 2362. 

If you do not receive a ballot, you have the right to request a second ballot. For more information, contact the JAVAA at 787-777-8682, ext. 4022 or email java@cee.pr.gov. 

Make sure you complete all fields correctly. In Puerto Rico, voters don’t need to certify absentee ballots before a witness and instead certify their own ballots by signing them under penalty of perjury.  Absentee ballots must be mailed to JAVAA through the U.S. Postal Service or another company that offers postal services and is authorized to operate in the country. Ballots must be postmarked no later than the Election Day. Mail ballots to: JAVAA, P.O. Box 192359,  San Juan, PR 00919.

Requests for early voting must be made at least 50 days — or Monday, Sept. 16 — before Election Day.  

On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, you must vote at your designated precinct. Polls are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you are in line before the polls close, you'll be allowed to vote. If by closing time, those still waiting to vote don't fit inside the polling site, a closed line will be made outside the polling place, and all voters will get their turn.

When you go to vote, you will be asked to show a valid photo ID, such as a driver's license, voter ID card or U.S. passport. 

If you have a disability, you can request to vote at the Easy-Access Polling Place (Colegio de Fácil Acceso) on the first floor of each of the polling centers.

Easy-Access Polling Places have large voting booths that allow people in wheelchairs, motorized wheelchairs or walkers to comfortably cast their vote. You can ask a person you trust to help you to vote. If you make a mistake while voting in person and the vote counting machine detects the mistake, you can correct it at that time, as you have the right to request a second ballot.  For more information, call the TTY line at 787-777-0228 or 787-777-8682. 

In Puerto Rico, voting is available by phone (at the polling sites), by mail, from home and from the hospital. Ballots are available in Braille.    

 Editor’s note: This guide was originally published on Jan. 31, 2024, and has been updated with new information about voting in the 2024 elections.

Zulay Ortiz is a digital journalist with vast experience in content creation and editing, serving as senior editor for AARP. She has worked as senior content programming manager for AOL Latino and as content editor and producer for AOL Puerto Rico. 

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