Can a person who cannot vote for President, become President in 2012?

1. 86

   Billrrrrposted 12 years ago

   Can a person who cannot vote for President, become President in 2012?
   
   My reference is to the rising GOP star, Luis Fortuno, the handsome young Governor of Puerto Rico.  He's been mentioned as a possible running mate to Mitt Romney.  The caveat is that Fotuno, like all people of Puerto Rico, cannot vote in the presidential elections.  They are citizens of the U.S., but like the residents of D.C., they cannot vote in the biggest of all the electoral sweepstakes. 
   
   So is it possible, Fortuno could be the new V.P. and then just a heartbeat away from the Presidency?  Remember that there are now 50 million latino voters in the States who can vote for President.

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2. 0

   Fatigmonposted 12 years ago

   Article II, Section 1 of the constitution:
   
   No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.
   
   At the time the constitution was written, some were not born here, so it clearly states a "natural born" citizen that has has resided within the boundary's of the US for at least 14 years.  PuertoRico is not a state so he would not, therefore, be eligible.
   
   I agree that they are citizens but do not live within the boundaries of the States.  I disagree with lawdoctorlee because the constitution does not state within a US posession but within the United States. It is not a State.

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3. 82

   lawdoctorleeposted 12 years ago

   Fatigmon, I'm sorry to say, is incorrect.  Puerto Ricans are natural born citizens (since 1900) even though Puerto Rico is not a state.  Please see my Hub on How to Become President of the United States.

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   1. 0

      Justsilvieposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Would he not have to me the Residency requirement, by living in one of the 50 states? To vote for President Puerto Ricans must live in the US.

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   2. 82

      lawdoctorleeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Sorry it's taken a while for me to respond.  Other committments kept me from writing on HP.  Puerto Ricans who resided within the boundary's of the US for at least 14 yrs are eligible.  Many born in PR reside in the US. US Const. Article II, Sect. 1.

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4. 77

   Mr Niceposted 12 years ago

   
   
   Puerto ricans are "statutory citizens" not "natural born citizens" therefore they have limited rights, they can hold US passports, but cannot vote for president and since they are not "natural born citizens" I think they cannot run for the president of US.
   However, it is very complicated and their are certain technicalities.
   
   May be Luis Fortuno is "natural born citizens" if that is the case then there is no problem for him.
   
   
   Here are some helpful links.
   
   http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues … 38-en.html
   
   http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/arc … 11830.html

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5. 0

   Larry Wallposted 12 years ago

   Based on the responses, I think if Mr. Fortuno was to run and be elected as Vice President, there would be numerous court challenges, and that he would have a worse PR nightmare that President Obama has had about his citizenship.
   
   Personally, I think even if qualified to run, the fact that he was not a resident of one of the 50 states, would become a major campaign issue and would have tremendously adverse impacts on the Romney campaign. That may not be right, but that is how politics are run.

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