On April 27, U.S. District Court Judge Jill A. Otake, a Trump appointee, issued an opinion in Reeves v Nago, 1:20cv-433. This is a voting rights case filed by a U.S. citizen who formerly lived in Hawaii, but then moved to Guam. When he moved, he lost his ability to vote in federal elections. If he had moved to a foreign country, he could have continued to vote absentee in Hawaii elections.
The judge said she lacks the authority to issue relief. Here is the 22-page opinion. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.
Isn’t Guam’s delegate to the House technically a federal election?
IMO, the territories ought to become associated states like Micronesia. This would have at least two benefits:
1. Residents there who are US citizens from other states can vote in US elections.
2. The territories would be freed from the shipping restrictions of the Jones Act, which would help the local economies.
The judge ruled right in that opinion.
UNIFORM DEFINITION OF VOTER/ELECTOR IN A-L-L OF USA —
USA CITIZEN, 18 + YRS OLDE ON ELECTION DAY, BE REGISTERED BY 28 DAYS BEFORE ELECTION DAY.
I agree with Walter z. Guam should be a state. Especially if Washington D.C. becomes a state. I don’t know if U.S. Virgin Islands wants to be a state. Puerto Rico voted against being a state the last time it came up for referendum.
Statehood won in Puerto Rico the last three times it was up for a vote in 2012, 2017 and 2020.
I’m not proposing US statehood. I’m proposing associated statehood for the territories. It’s a different status, and one more suited for insular territories.
Move back