They’re in. Sort of.

The residents of Puerto Rico – currently a U.S. territory – voted to approve a move to statehood, paving the way for the 51st state and the first major change of its kind in America’s political landscape in almost 60 years.

Sunday’s vote had record low turnout, with only 23 percent even casting a ballot. But with all the votes cast, the overwhelming majority voted to approve a move to statehood. A full 97 percent of voters approved statehood.

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Past votes for statehood have been unsuccessful, and all political parties except the local Republican Party, called for a boycott of the election.

Puerto Rico previously voted in favor of becoming a state in 2012, but statehood opponents said the voter turnout was not high enough to accurately reflect will of the Puerto Rican people. Some fear that they will make the same case this time around.

Still, it was a free and fair election and Gov. Ricardo Rossello said he will soon establish a commission who will appoint two U.S. Senators and five representatives to head to Washington and demand to be seated to represent the State of Puerto Rico.

Despite it being in the Republican platform, the GOP-controlled Senate would be reluctant to approve establishing an overwhelmingly Democratic state. It would almost guarantee two new Democrat Senators and Five Democratic House members.

Still, the 2016 Republican Party platform reads: “We support the right of the United States citizens of Puerto Rico to be admitted to the Union as a fully sovereign state,” the platform stated. “Once the … local vote for statehood is ratified, Congress should approve an enabling act with terms for Puerto Rico’s future admission as the 51st state of the Union.”

Puerto Rico is mired in an economic crisis. The unemployment rate is 12 percent and they are gripped by a ten-year economic recession. Statehood could help the island. States receive income tax reimbursement and receive far more federal funding than territories. Residents of Puerto Rico – while U.S. citizens, also don’t have any congressional representation.

Nearly half a million Puerto Ricans have fled to the U.S. mainland to escape the island’s 10-year economic recession and 12 percent unemployment rate.

Those who remain behind have faced new taxes and higher utility bills on an island where food is 22 percent more expensive than the U.S. mainland and public services are 64 percent more expensive.

In case you were wondering, here’s how the American flag would change:





