2024 Puerto Rico gubernatorial election

Gubernatorial elections were held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, to elect the governor of Puerto Rico, concurrently with the election of the Resident Commissioner, the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the mayors of the 78 municipalities.

2024 Puerto Rico gubernatorial election

← 2020 November 5, 2024 2028 →

Nominee Jenniffer González-Colón Juan Dalmau Party New Progressive Independence Alliance Republican Alianza de País Popular vote 524,373 391,945 Percentage 41.22% 30.81%   Nominee Jesús Manuel Ortiz Javier Jiménez Party Popular Democratic Project Dignity Alliance Democratic Republican Popular vote 273,162 81,251 Percentage 21.47% 6.39%

Results by municipality González:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60% Dalmau:      30–40%      40–50%

Governor before election Pedro Pierluisi New Progressive Elected Governor Jenniffer González-Colón New Progressive

Two parties filed to hold a primary election: the New Progressive Party and the Popular Democratic Party. Incumbent New Progressive Party Governor Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia ran for re-election to a second term in office, but lost the PNP primary to Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez Colon.^[1] The Popular Democratic Party nominated Jesús Manuel Ortíz, a member of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rican Independence Party and Citizens' Victory Movement formed an electoral alliance, with both parties agreeing to support former member of the Senate of Puerto Rico, Juan Dalmau. However, since all registered parties are required to nominate a candidate for governor, Movimiento Victoria Ciudadana nominated dummy candidate Javier Córdova Iturregui. Project Dignity nominated San Sebastián mayor Javier Jiménez.

González Colón ultimately won the general election. This was the first Puerto Rico gubernatorial election since 1952 in which a candidate from the Independence Party finished second in a gubernatorial race, the first time since 1964 in which the incumbent governing party was re-elected after two terms in office, and the second time Puerto Rico has elected a female governor.^[a] This election also saw the Popular Democratic Party lose control of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico and finish third for the first time in its entire history in a gubernatorial election, albeit retaining a majority of mayoral races and flipping the office of Resident Commissioner.^[2]

Parties

New Progressive primary

On March 20, 2022, during the New Progressive Party's general assembly, governor Pedro Pierluisi announced that he would run for a second term.^[1] In an interview on August 28, he reaffirmed the press that he would be in fact running again, stating that "Puerto Rico is moving forward and there is no one who can stop us" and that they were "going to beat the PDP".^[3] Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González Colón won the primary against Governor Pierluisi, becoming the first-ever female gubernatorial nominee for the New Progressive Party.

Candidates

Nominee

• Jenniffer González Colón, Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico^[4]

Eliminated in primary

• Pedro Pierluisi, incumbent governor^[5]

Endorsements

Jenniffer González Colón

Federal officials

• Elmer Román, former director of mission integration in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and former Puerto Rico Secretary of State^[6]

Territorial legislators

• Carlos Johnny Méndez, territorial representative^[7]
• Yashira Lebrón Rodríguez, territorial representative^[7]
• Angel Peña Ramírez, territorial representative^[7]

Local officials

• Ramón Luis Rivera Jr., mayor of Bayamón^[7]
• María Vega Pagán, mayor of Vega Alta and former territorial representative^[7]
• 3 other mayors^[7]

Pedro Pierluisi

State cabinet officials

• Larry Seilhamer, former Puerto Rico Secretary of State^[8]

Statewide officials

• Ricardo Rosselló, former Governor of Puerto Rico^[9]

Territorial legislators

• José Kikito Meléndez, territorial representative^[6]
• William Villafañe, territorial senator^[6]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[b]	Margin of error	Pedro Pierluisi	Jenniffer González Colón	Others	Undecided
Pasquines[10]	22–30 May 2024	483 (RV)	–	63%	35%	1%[c]	1%
Noticel and Atlas Intel[11]	8–12 October 2023	2,350[d] (A)	± 2.0%	50.4%	42.4%	–	6.1%
El Nuevo Día and The Research Office[12]	31 January – 5 February 2023	≈400 (A)	± 6.0%	25%	64%	3%	3%

Results

Results by municipality

New Progressive primary results^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	New Progressive	Jenniffer Gonzalez Colon	159,527	54.57%
	New Progressive	Pedro Pierluisi (incumbent)	132,805	45.43%
Total votes			292,332	100.0%

Popular Democratic primary

After suffering defeat in the 2020 elections, the Popular Democratic Party suffered a major divide on opinions, from the topic of abortion^[14] to what political status should the party pursue in the case of an 8th plebiscite.^[15] Some like the former party president José Luis Dalmau say that the party should keep supporting the current political status (ELA), while others within the party like former territorial senator Marco Rigau Jiménez stated that the party should move towards Free Association.^[16]

On June 16, 2022, while criticizing the party president José Dalmau, Morovis mayor Carmen Maldonado González challenged him, and announced that she would be running for governor.^[17] Later, on October 17, she officialized her candidacy in a press conference.^[18] Afterward, on January 18, 2023, she stated that she would run for president of the party.^[19] On May 7, after coming last on the presidency election, she conceded and announced that she would instead be running for re-election.^[20]

Territorial senator Juan Zaragoza Gómez announced his candidacy for governor during a press conference on September 13, 2022, saying that "If God gives me health, I'm going there".^[21] Zaragoza previously had announced that he would run for governor in the 2020 primary,^[22] before withdrawing his candidacy to run as territorial senator at-large.^[23]

Candidates

Nominee

• Jesús Manuel Ortiz, territorial representative and president of the PPD^[24]

Eliminated in primary

• Juan Zaragoza, at-large territorial senator and former Puerto Rico Secretary of Treasury^[21]

Withdrawn

• Carlos Delgado Altieri, former mayor of Isabela and nominee for governor in 2020^[25]
• Carmen Maldonado González, mayor of Morovis^[18][20]

Endorsements

Jesús Manuel Ortiz

Territorial legislators

• Ramón Luis Cruz, territorial representative^[26]
• Migdalia González, territorial senator^[26]
• José Rivera Madera, territorial representative^[26]
• Juan J. Santiago Nieves, territorial representative^[26]

Local officials

• Pedro García Figueroa, mayor of Hormigueros^[26]
• Juan Carlos García Padilla, mayor of Coamo^[26]
• Gregory González, mayor of Peñuelas^[26]
• Ramón Hernández Torres, mayor of Juana Díaz^[26]

Juan Zaragoza

State cabinet officials

• Idalia Colón Roldón, former secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of the Family^[27]

Territorial legislators

• Javier Aponte Dalmau, territorial senator^[27]
• Charlie Hernández, former territorial representative^[27]

Local officials

• Julio Roldán Concepción, mayor of Aguadilla^[27]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[b]	Margin of error	Jesús Manuel Ortiz	Carlos Delgado Altieri	José Luis Dalmau	Juan Zaragoza	Luis Javier Hernández	Carmen Maldonado González	Others	Undecided / Abstain
El Nuevo Día and The Research Office[28]	24–29 October 2023	≈1,000 (A)	± 6.0%	30%	26%	17%	13%	13%	–	–	1%
Noticel and Atlas Intel[29]	8 – 12 October 2023	≈2,350 (A)	± 6.0%	42.6%	16.4%	5.6%	3.8%	17.3%	–	–	14.4%
El Nuevo Día and The Research Office[30]	31 January – 5 February 2023	≈400 (A)	± 6.0%	–	28%	24%	19%	4%	8%	6%	–

Results

Popular Democratic primary results^[31]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Popular Democratic	Jesús Manuel Ortiz	83,045	61.71%
	Popular Democratic	Juan Zaragoza Gómez	51,534	38.29%
Total votes			134,579	100.0%

Alianza de País (MVC-PIP Alliance)

The Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) and Citizens' Victory Movement (MVC) have formed an alliance for the 2024 elections. MVC has agreed to support PIP's nominee, Juan Dalmau Ramírez. However, Puerto Rico law requires all parties to nominate a candidate for governor, so MVC nominated Javier Córdova Iturregui as a placeholder candidate.^[32][33]

PIP nominee

• Juan Dalmau Ramírez, former at-large territorial senator and nominee for governor in 2020^[32]

MVC nominee

• Javier Córdova Iturregui, university professor, union leader, and perennial candidate^[33]

Endorsements

Juan Dalmau

Political parties

• Citizens' Victory Movement^[33]
• Hostosian National Independence Movement^[34]
• Workers' Socialist Movement^[35]

Newspapers

• Momento Crítico^[36]

Project Dignity

Candidates

Ada Norah Henriquez, who ran for resident commissioner in 2020, announced on 23 May 2023, while on the La Trinchera podcast that "we are going to aspire for the executive."^[37]

César Vázquez Muñiz, the president of the party and the nominee for governor in 2020, announced on 27 May 2023, while at a protest asking for the resignation of the Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico Domingo Emanuelli, that he would be running again for governor, stating that "What you see is not asked". He later dropped out to run for territorial senate in the Bayamón district.

Javier Jiménez Pérez, mayor of San Sebastián del Pepino, who switched to Proyecto Dignidad earlier, announced his intention to run. This was further confirmed by a party assembly that certified the party will hold primaries to select the candidate.^[38]

Henriquez announced in December 2023 that she would run as an independent, leaving Jiménez as the only candidate seeking the PD nomination.^[39]

Nominee

• Javier Jiménez, mayor of San Sebastián and president of Project Dignity^[40]

Withdrawn

• César Vázquez Muñiz, former president of Project Dignity and nominee for governor in 2020 (running for territorial senate)^[40]
• Ada Norah Henriquez, attorney and nominee for resident commissioner in 2020 (running as a write-in candidate)^[39]

Declined

• Joanne Rodríguez Veve, at-large territorial senator^[41] (endorsed Jiménez)^[42]

Endorsements

Javier Jiménez

Territorial legislators

• Lisie Burgos Muñiz, territorial representative^[42]
• Joanne Rodríguez Veve, at-large territorial senator^[42]

Independents

Disqualified

• Victor Luis Medina Cruz, physician^[43]
• Ada Norah Henriquez, attorney and Project Dignity nominee for resident commissioner in 2020^[39] (running as a write-in candidate)
• Carlos Cintrón Rivera^[44]

General election

Main article: 2024 Puerto Rican general election

Debate

Dates	Location	González- Colón	Manuel Ortiz	Dalmau	Jiménez	Link
October 2, 2024	WAPA Studios Guaynabo	Participant	Participant	Participant	Participant	YouTube

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[e]	Margin of error	Jenniffer González- Colón (PNP)	Jesús Manuel Ortiz (PPD)	Juan Dalmau (PIP)	Javier Jiménez (PD)	Undecided
AtlasIntel[45]	November 1–4, 2024	4,914 (LV)	± 1.0%	36%	20%	35%	8%	2%
Lit Data PR[46]	November 1–4, 2024	800 (A)	± 3.39%	39.89%	16.01%	34.55%	9.55%	—
El Nuevo Día/The Research Office[47]	October 29 – November 1, 2024	1,000 (LV)	—	37%	22%	29%	7%	5%
Lit Data PR[48]	October 25 – November 1, 2024	800 (A)	± 3.39%	35%	15%	34%	8%	9%
				38%	16%	36%	10%	—
Pasquines[49]	October 21 – November 1, 2024	(A)	—	37%	23%	31%	7%	3%[f]
IZQ Strategies[50]	October 14–31, 2024	1,651 (LV)	± 3.0%	35%	17%	37%	7%	4%
Bacon Research[51]	October 25–29, 2024	807 (LV)	± 3.0%	32%	18%	25%	7%	17%[g]
Lit Data PR[52]	October 18–25, 2024	800 (A)	± 3.39%	32%	14%	30%	7%	17%
				38%	17%	36%	9%	—
Consultoría Académica e Investigación Social LLC[53]	October 10–22, 2024	784 (V)	—	38%	17%	30%	13%	2%
Lit Data PR[54]	October 11–18, 2024	800 (A)	± 3.39%	34%	13%	28%	6%	18%
Gaither International[55]	October 1–16, 2024	1,109 (A)	± 2.94%	31%	18%	29%	8%	14%
Lit Data PR[54]	October 4–11, 2024	800 (A)	± 3.39%	34%	17%	26%	5%	18%
Bacon Research[56]	October 3–10, 2024	807 (LV)	± 3.0%	33%	20%	20%	7%	20%[h]
Lit Data PR[57]	September 27 – October 4, 2024	800 (A)	± 3.39%	30%	13%	25%	4%	28%
El Nuevo Día/The Research Office[58]	September 28 – October 2, 2024	1,000 (RV)	± 3%	37%	22%	25%	9%	7%
Lit Data PR[59]	September 21–27, 2024	800 (A)	—	35%	12%	21%	5%	26%
Lit Data PR[60]	September 5–20, 2024	800 (A)	—	34%	10%	21%	5%	30%[i]
Consultoría Académica e Investigación Social LLC[61]	August 31 – September 3, 2024	—	—	37%	23%	25%	12%	3%[j]
Gaither International[62][A]	June 23 – July 8, 2024	1,109 (A)	± 2%	43%	14%	23%	9%	10%
El Nuevo Día/The Research Office[63]	February 20–25, 2024	1,000 (V)	—	38%	30%	10%	8%	14%
AtlasIntel[64][B]	February 15–22, 2024	2,200 (V)	—	33%	20%	25%	8%	16%[k]

Results

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Jenniffer González-Colón	New Progressive Party	526,020	41.22
	Juan Dalmau	Puerto Rican Independence Party	392,185	30.73
	Jesús Manuel Ortiz	Popular Democratic Party	273,649	21.44
	Javier Jiménez	Project Dignity	81,369	6.38
	Javier Córdova Iturregu[l]	Citizens' Victory Movement	1,522	0.12
Write-ins			1,362	0.11
Total			1,276,107	100.00
Valid votes			1,276,107	99.62
Invalid votes			1,592	0.12
Blank votes			3,305	0.26
Total votes			1,281,004	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			1,987,317	64.46
Source: CEEPUR[65]

See also

• 2024 United States gubernatorial elections

Notes

1. The first time was in 2000, when Sila María Calderón was elected.
2. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
3. "None of the above" with 1%
4. unclear subgroup
5. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
6. "None of the Above" with 1%; Iturregui[ (MVC) with 1%
7. "Won't Vote" with 6%
8. "Won't Vote" with 7%; Iturregui[ (MVC) with 1%
9. Iturregui[ (MVC) with 1%
10. Iturregui[ (MVC) with 1%
11. "No Voteria" with 12%
12. Paper candidate

Partisan clients

1. Poll sponsored by El Vocero de Puerto Rico, WAPA-TV, and WKAQ
2. Poll sponsored by Noticel

References

1. "Pierluisi calienta motores para las elecciones del 2024". NotiCel. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
2. "CEE Event". elecciones2024.ceepur.org. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
3. Yaritza Rivera Clemente (August 21, 2022). "Pedro Pierluisi reafirma que buscará la reelección: "Le vamos a dar una pela al PPD"". El Vocero de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved October 19, 2022.
4. "Jenniffer González confirma que buscará la gobernación". Telemundo Puerto Rico (in Spanish). September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
5. "Pierluisi calienta motores para las elecciones del 2024". NotiCel. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
6. "Pierluisi: González Colón's running mate lacks pro-statehood creds". The San Juan Daily Star. December 1, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
7. "El representante Ángel Peña respalda las aspiraciones de Jenniffer González a la gobernación". El Nuevo Dia (in Spanish). January 28, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
8. Ruiz Kuillan, Gloria (January 14, 2024). "Pedro Pierluisi aceita su maquinaria electoral de cara a las primarias de junio: se reúne en Arecibo con 168 aspirantes del PNP". El Nuevo Dia (in Spanish). Retrieved January 31, 2024.
9. Ruiz Kuillan, Gloria (January 7, 2024). "Ricardo Rosselló, tras endosar a varios políticos en Puerto Rico: 'Yo no estoy buscando posiciones'". El Nuevo Dia (in Spanish). Retrieved January 31, 2024.
10. Pasquines
11. Noticel and
    Atlas Intel
12. El Nuevo Día and
    The Research Office
13. "CEE Event - Governor - Island Wide Results". Puerto Rico State Commission on Elections. June 11, 2024.
14. Yaritza Rivera Clemente (April 5, 2022). "Crece la controversia en el Partido Popular Democrático por el tema del aborto". El Vocero de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved October 19, 2022.
15. Yaritza Rivera Clemente (June 29, 2022). "Dividido el Partido Popular Democrático por definiciones sobre estatus". El Vocero de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved October 19, 2022.
16. "Exsenador popular exhorta a votar por la libre asociación - CB en Español". cb.pr. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
17. "Crece la división dentro del Partido Popular Democrático tras propuesta de consulta y cambios". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). June 17, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
18. Istra Pacheco (October 17, 2022). "Carmen Maldonado buscará ser candidata a la gobernación por el Partido Popular Democrático". El Vocero de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Retrieved October 19, 2022.
19. Pineda Dattari, Leoncio. "Carmen Maldonado, quien aspira ahora a la presidencia del PPD, se lanza contra líderes del partido". www.noticel.com. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
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22. "Juan Zaragoza confirma que aspirará a la gobernación por el PPD". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). August 15, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
23. "Juan Zaragoza se retira de la carrera a la gobernación por el PPD". El Nuevo Día (in Spanish). December 23, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
24. "Cambios en la carrera por la gobernación del PPD crean un nuevo escenario para Jesús Manuel Ortiz y Juan Zaragoza". El Nuevo Dia. November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
25. "Charlie Delgado anuncia que no buscará la gobernación ni ningún otro cargo electivo". Primera Hora (in Spanish). October 30, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
26. Rivera Clemente, Yaritza (January 30, 2024). ""La meta es tener una victoria grande": Jesús Manuel Ortiz presenta a su equipo de campaña electoral". El Nuevo Dia (in Spanish). Retrieved January 31, 2024.
27. Ibarra Vázquez, Genesis (February 20, 2024). "Equipo de campaña de Juan Zaragoza será dirigido por Idalia Colón, exsecretaria de la Familia". El Nuevo Dia (in Spanish). Retrieved February 21, 2024.
28. El Nuevo Día and The Research Office
29. Noticel and Atlas Intel
30. El Nuevo Día and The Research Office
31. "CEE Event - Governor - Island Wide Results". Puerto Rico State Commission on Elections. June 11, 2024.
32. Bauzá, Nydia (November 15, 2023). "Juan Dalmau y Manuel Natal anuncian que la 'alianza va para hacer frente al bipartidismo'". Primera Hora (in Spanish).
33. Pérez Méndez, Osman (January 2, 2023). "Dalmau cataloga candidatura de médico a comisionado residente como 'un acto de generosidad y desprendimiento'". Primera Hora (in Spanish). Retrieved January 4, 2023.
34. "Aprueba el MINH respaldar la alianza entre el PIP y el MVC". Claridad (in Spanish). December 6, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
35. "Llamado del MST a votar por la alianza". bandera.org (in Spanish). September 20, 2024. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
36. Javier Córdova Iturregui (October 18, 2024). "Análisis de la coyuntura política actual: La importancia de las delegaciones legislativas para un gobierno de la Alianza". momentocritico.org (in Spanish). Retrieved November 4, 2024.
37. "César Vázquez tiene contrincante en su aspiración a la gobernación por el Proyecto Dignidad". Metro Puerto Rico (in Spanish). May 23, 2023. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
38. "Se activó el Proyecto Dignidad: van a primarias". Ey Boricua (in Spanish). November 9, 2023.
39. "Ada Norah Henriquez buscará la gobernación de manera independiente". Telemundo Puerto Rico (in Spanish). December 28, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
40. "Alcalde de San Sebastián confirma que aspirará a la gobernación por el Proyecto Dignidad". Metro. October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
41. "César Vázquez confirma pudiera haber primarias para la gobernación en Proyecto Dignidad". Radio Isla 1320 AM. August 30, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
42. Pérez Pintado, Amanda (November 18, 2023). "Viviana Ramírez aspirará a la comisaría residente por Proyecto Dignidad y busca 'una manera distinta de hacer política'". El Nuevo Día. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
43. "Doctor anuncia su candidatura a la gobernación de manera independiente". Metro.Pr. November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
44. Ruiz Kuilan, Gloria (January 21, 2024). "Cuesta arriba para algunos aspirantes independientes recoger los endosos requeridos por ley". El Nuevo Dia (in Spanish). Retrieved January 31, 2024.
45. AtlasIntel
46. Lit Data PR
47. El Nuevo Día/The Research Office
48. Lit Data PR
49. Pasquines
50. IZQ Strategies
51. Bacon Research
52. Lit Data PR
53. Consultoría Académica e Investigación Social LLC
54. Lit Data PR
55. Gaither International
56. Bacon Research
57. Lit Data PR
58. El Nuevo Día/The Research Office
59. Lit Data PR
60. Lit Data PR
61. Consultoría Académica e Investigación Social LLC
62. Gaither International
63. El Nuevo Día/The Research Office
64. AtlasIntel
65. "Elecciones 2024". CEEPUR. Retrieved December 22, 2024.