How to get your voter ID in Puerto Rico for the 2024 elections

Nota editorial: 9 Millones is part of the #PrendeTuVoto coalition, contributing with editorial content about voter registration and defending the right to vote.

‍Voter participation among young people has gone down in Puerto Rico. According to data from the Puerto Rico State Commission on Elections, more than half—or 53%—of eligible voters between the ages of 18 and 34 did not vote in the 2020 elections. By comparison, 29% of this population abstained from voting in the 2000 elections. In 20 years, participation among young voters went down by 40%. Not only is this the age group with the lowest historic participation, but it is also the one that has decreased the most in the past two decades.

In other words, over 316,000 registered and active voters on the archipelago did not vote in the last elections, a contested event in which governor Pedro Pierluisi won with a lead of only 1.5 percentage points over the second most-voted candidate. To be precise, he won with a lead of 19,199 votes.

The youth vote could be key in deciding the course of the country. The future of topics that concern everyone—such as the healthcare system, the permitted uses of land, the electrical grid system and the education system—will be partially defined by the platform of the government elected by the majority, as well as by the amount of young people who show up to vote on November 5th.  

“By actively participating in the electoral process, the youth can influence decisions that affect their education, jobs, environment and many other crucial aspects within their lives. After so many crises that we have faced as a generation, it’s crucial that organizations like ours join together so that young people feel needed and supported to take action,” said Verónica Noriega Rodríguez, director of programs for Mentes Puertorriqueñas en Acción. Noriega is one of the members of the #PrendeTuVoto coalition, which strives to motivate the youth to vote in the upcoming elections.

If you want your voice to be heard and vote for a candidate whose ideas align with your vision of what the country should be, you still have time to register to vote. Keep reading to discover the steps you should follow to get your voter ID and vote in the upcoming elections on Tuesday, November 5th.

Read until the end to find out how to get free tickets for the Jóvenes al futuro concert and festival, organized by the #PrendeTuVoto campaign.

¿First time voting? Check if you’re eligible

If it’s your first time voting, you need to comply with the following requirements to register:

• Be an American citizen.
• Proof of residence on the island.
• Be 18 years old, or become 18 on or before November 5th, 2024.
• Not be deemed incompetent by a court.

The last day to register is Saturday, September 21st. In Puerto Rico, you cannot register yourself as a voter on Election Day.

Prepare your documents ahead of time

If you meet these requirements, the documents you need to register depend on your age and where you were born:

• If you were born in Puerto Rico and are above 18, get ready the following information and documents.

1. Current ID with picture, issued by the state, municipal or federal government.
2. The last four digits of your Social Security.

• If you were born in Puerto Rico, are 17 years old, but will be 18 on or before November 5th…

1. Visit the nearest electoral station on or before September 21st.
2. If your information is available on the Demographic Registry’s Database, you do not need any further documents to register.

• If you were born in Puerto Rico, are 17 years old, will be 18 on or before November 5th, but your information is not available on the Demographic Registry, bring these documents and information:

1. Birth certificate, issued in its newest format by the Office of the Demographic Registry
2. Current ID with picture, issued by the state, municipal or federal government.
3. The last four digits of your Social Security.

• If you were not born in Puerto Rico, but you were born in any other state or territory belonging to the United States, bring the following documents and information:

1. Original birth certificate / Passport or passport card, even if they are expired
2. Current ID with picture, issued by the state, municipal or federal government.
3. The last four digits of your Social Security.

• If you were born in a foreign country, bring…

1. Current US Passport / Certificate of naturalization, birth or citizenship / US Citizen card

¿How and where can I register?

There are two options for you to get registered.

1. In person

You should visit your nearest Junta de Inscripción Permanente (JIP) (electoral station, in English). These offices open from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 am to 4:15 pm.

Here, you can hand in the documents and get your voter ID. Find the office nearest to you using our map below. For more information, call 787-777-8682, extension 2362.

2. Online

Another way to register is through the Registro Electrónico de Electores (Electronic Register for Voters, or eRE in Spanish). To register, you must create an account and provide the following information and documents:

• Personal information
• Last four digits of your social security
• Proof of identity
• Proof of residence
• Proof of citizenship

With this information submitted, you only have to visit your nearest JIP to get your picture taken and receive your voter ID.

You voted recently, but you lost your ID

If you lost your ID but you voted in one of the past two elections, you can still vote using one of the following documents:

• Driver’s license
• US passport
• Any ID issued under the Real ID Act of 2005
• U.S. Global Entry card
• Any ID issued by the US Army

To get a new voter ID, you should visit your nearest JIP.

You haven’t voted in a long time

If it has been two or more elections since you last voted, you need to reactivate your status to vote. You can check your voter status here, with your voter ID number.

This website will give you the following information:

• Voter status
• Last election in which you voted
• Town, precinct and unit where you submit your vote

If your status is inactive, you can activate it at your nearest JIP, or through the eRE website. Create your account with the following information:

• Personal information
• Voter ID number
• Last four digits of your social security
• Answers for two security questions

In the register section, change your status to “ACTIVO – REACTIVACIÓN (ACTIVE - REACTIVATION)”, and you will be able to vote. If you moved recently, you can also modify your address through eRE so you vote at the correct voting station All you need to do is visit the section for modifying residential addresses, and submit and image of one of the following:

• Water service bill
• Power bill
• Wi-Fi bill
• Television bill
• Phone bill
• PR Driver’s license
• Real ID

Remember to identify the voting station where you need to submit your vote, and arrive between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. If you arrive at 5:00 pm, you still have the right to vote once you are inside the voting station or in the line to enter the station.

If you will be traveling outside of Puerto Rico or need special accommodations to vote, be it because of your profession or due to any disability, follow these steps:

• Download the application for absent or early vote here, and fill it out with your specific need or situation.  
• Send it with your signature to the Administrative Board for Absent and Early Voting, on or before September 16th, to the following email address: java@cee.pr.gov.

If you manage to register before September 7th, you will be set to get your fast pass for the Jóvenes al futuro concert and festival, on Saturday, September 7th. Get your tickets here.