Puerto Rican voters show strong support for Kamala Harris in symbolic US presidential election, El Nuevo Día survey reveals

Among Puerto Ricans, the Harris-Walz ticket has a 15-point lead over the Trump-Vance campaign as the island prepares for a symbolic vote.

A recent poll conducted by El Nuevo Día shows that nearly half of registered voters in Puerto Rico would support the Democratic presidential ticket of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the symbolic vote for US president and vice president, set to take place on the island on November 5. 

According to Puerto Rico’s new electoral code, implemented in 2020, in these general elections Puerto Ricans will have an additional ballot to symbolically vote for the US president.

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Despite being American citizens and having delegates in US parties, Puerto Ricans cannot vote for presidential candidates.

According to the poll, 45% of voters expressed their intention to vote for Harris and Walz, while 30% said they would back the Republican candidates, Donald Trump and James D. Vance.

The survey also revealed that 19% of voters said they would not cast a vote in this symbolic election, and 6% remain undecided at this point.

A closer look at the results shows that political preferences in Puerto Rico are often tied to the gubernatorial candidates. Among supporters of Jenniffer González, the candidate for governor from the pro-statehood New Progressive Party (PNP), 49% would vote for the Democratic ticket—while 41% would back the Republicans, who González openly supports. Additionally, 5% of González’s supporters said they would not vote in the US symbolic election, and another 5% remain uncertain.

For voters aligned with Juan Dalmau, the candidate representing the alliance between the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) and the Citizens’ Victory Movement (MVC), 38% said they would abstain from voting on the US ballot. However, 32% of Dalmau supporters would back Harris and Walz, while 23% would vote for Trump and Vance.

Among supporters of Jesús Manuel Ortiz, the candidate for governor from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), the Democratic ticket finds its highest level of support. Over half of these voters, 55%, said they would cast their vote for Harris and Walz, compared to just 20% for Trump and Vance. Notably, 19% of Ortiz’s backers said they would abstain from the US vote, while 6% are undecided.

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Finally, 40% of voters supporting Javier Jiménez, the candidate from Proyecto Dignidad, plan to vote for the Democrats, while 35% would back the Republicans. A significant 22% said they would abstain from voting, and only 3% remain undecided.

This poll highlights the political divisions in Puerto Rico as voters engage with the symbolic US election, with clear preferences emerging that align with local political affiliations.