Voters in Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories are not permitted to vote in the presidential election under the provisions set forth in the Electoral College. But they do have a say in who gets to the White House. That's because voters in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa are permitted to participate in the presidential primary and are granted delegates by the two major political parties.
In other words, Puerto Rico and the other U.S. territories get to help nominate the presidential candidates. But voters there cannot actually participate in the election itself because of the Electoral College system.
Can Puerto Ricans Vote?
Why can't voters in Puerto Rico and the other U.S. territories help elect the president of the United States? Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution makes it clear that only states can participate in the electoral process. The U.S. Constitution reads:
