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Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

Keywords

voting rights, statehood admissions, voting eligibility, Puerto Rico, territory, citizenship, legislative action

Abstract

Historically, the process for admitting territories into the United States as states has been ambiguous and subsequently discriminatory. This ambiguity, when viewed in conjunction with the inherent voting rights of United States citizens, proves a systematic violation of said rights. By defining the statehood admission process, the voting rights of United States citizens residing in territories will no longer be violated. This article proposes legislation that includes five distinct criteria intended to rectify the ambiguity and subsequent discrimination in current admissions procedures while still allowing Congress to retain its constitutionally delegated processional authority.

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