Honestly, looking at a puerto rico election results map is a lot like trying to read a 3D chessboard while the board is spinning. If you just glance at the splashes of blue and red, you’re missing the earthquake that actually happened. In the 2024 elections, the island didn’t just pick a new governor; it basically rewired its entire political DNA.
People on the mainland often think Puerto Rico politics mirrors the U.S. "Republican vs. Democrat" divide. It doesn't. Not even close. On the island, the fight is almost always about status—Statehood, Independence, or the "Commonwealth" status quo. But the 2024 map showed us something new: the death of the old two-party monopoly.
The Big Shift in the 2024 Gubernatorial Race
Jenniffer González-Colón, the current Resident Commissioner and a heavy hitter in the New Progressive Party (PNP), took the win. She pulled in roughly 41.2% of the vote. Now, in a vacuum, that looks like a standard victory for the pro-statehood crowd. But look closer at the runner-up.
Juan Dalmau, representing "La Alianza" (an alliance between the Puerto Rican Independence Party and the Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana), landed a staggering 30.7%. That is massive. For decades, the pro-independence movement struggled to break single digits. Seeing a map where the "third option" dominates major urban centers or pulls huge numbers in San Juan is a signal that the old guard is shaking.
Jesús Manuel Ortiz of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), the party that historically traded power with the PNP, fell to third place with about 21%. That’s a historic low. Basically, the PPD—the "commonwealth" party—is bleeding out, and the voters are moving toward more radical "either-or" camps.
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Breaking Down the Municipalities
If you zoom into the puerto rico election results map at the local level, the colors tell a more nuanced story. The PNP (New Progressive Party) usually dominates the rural interior, while the PPD (Popular Democratic Party) used to hold the coastal towns.
- San Juan: Miguel Romero (PNP) held onto the capital, but the "Alianza" made deep inroads.
- Ponce & Mayagüez: Historically PPD strongholds, these cities showed a lot of fatigue. People are tired of the same-old, same-old.
- The "Blue" Wall: The PNP managed to secure 37 municipalities, while the PPD held 41.
Wait, if the PPD won more municipalities (41 vs 37), why did they lose the governorship so badly?
It’s about population density. The PPD wins lots of smaller, rural towns, but the PNP and the new Alianza movements are fighting for the big prize: the concentrated urban voters who are fed up with the power grid failing every time a stiff breeze blows through.
The Status Referendum: A Clear Message?
Along with the candidates, there was a plebiscite on the ballot. This is where the puerto rico election results map gets really interesting. Voters were asked to choose between Statehood, Independence, and Sovereignty in Free Association.
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The results were certified in early 2025:
- Statehood: 58.4%
- Sovereignty in Free Association: 29.5%
- Independence: 11.8%
Statehood won. Again. But here’s the nuance: the U.S. Congress isn’t exactly rushing to act on this. While the map shows a majority of Puerto Ricans want to be the 51st state, the political reality in D.C. is a giant shrug. Also, there was a weird glitch with the Dominion Voting Systems machines initially interchanging the "Independence" and "Free Association" totals, which fueled a lot of "I told you so" talk on social media before being corrected.
The Split Ticket Reality
You’ve got a PNP Governor (Jenniffer González-Colón) but a PPD Resident Commissioner (Pablo José Hernández Rivera). Talk about a recipe for friction. Pablo José, the grandson of a former governor, managed to beat the PNP candidate William Villafañe by over 100,000 votes.
Why the split?
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Voters seem to want a "checks and balances" approach. They want González-Colón to run the island’s internal affairs with her pro-business, pro-statehood energy, but they sent a PPD representative to Washington. It’s a bit of a "hedging your bets" move.
Why This Map Matters for 2026 and Beyond
The 2024 results aren't just numbers; they’re a roadmap for the future. The rise of Juan Dalmau and the Alianza means that the "scare tactics" about independence aren't working like they used to. Younger voters, specifically, are moving away from the PPD in droves.
If you’re tracking the puerto rico election results map to predict the next cycle, watch the legislative composition. The PNP actually secured a two-thirds majority in the Legislative Assembly, which triggered a "Minority Protection Clause" in the Puerto Rican Constitution. This is a weird, unique rule that actually adds seats for the losing parties to make sure the majority doesn't just steamroll everyone.
Actionable Insights for Following Puerto Rican Politics
If you really want to understand where the island is heading, don't just look at who won the Governor's seat.
- Watch the "Alianza" growth: If Dalmau's coalition stays together, the 2028 map might not have any PPD red left on it at all.
- Follow the Grid: LUMA Energy (the private power company) is the biggest "unseen" voter. If the lights stay off, the incumbent party (PNP) will lose the rural interior by the next election.
- Keep an eye on the Resident Commissioner: Pablo José Hernández Rivera is now the highest-ranking Democrat in PR politics. His performance in D.C. will determine if the PPD can reinvent itself as a modern center-left party or if it’s destined to become a relic.
The most important takeaway? The puerto rico election results map is no longer a two-tone painting. It’s a mosaic. The 2024 results proved that the "status quo" is the only thing that definitely lost.
To stay truly informed, you should track the monthly reports from the Comisión Estatal de Elecciones (CEE) regarding new voter registrations. The surge in younger voters is currently the strongest indicator of whether the Alianza's 30% was a fluke or the new floor. Additionally, monitoring the "Minority Protection Clause" appointments in the House and Senate will reveal how much actual power the opposition parties can wield against the PNP majority in 2026.