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Puerto Rico
General Right to
Vote
Constitution:
(1952)
Article II, section 2 states: "The laws shall guarantee the
expression of the will of the people by means of equal, direct and secret
universal suffrage and shall protect the citizen against any coercion
in the exercise of the electoral franchise."
Exclusion Based
on Mental Disability
Electoral Law:
(1977, updated 1984)
Ch. 303, section 3055 states: "Persons judicially declared
unqualified shall not be entitled to vote, even though they are duly qualified
electors."
Exclusion Based
on Physical Disability
Constitution:
(1952)
Article III, section 5 states: "No person shall be a member
of the Legislative Assembly unless he is able to read and write the Spanish
or English language and unless he is a citizen of the United States and
of Puerto Rico and has resided in Puerto Rico at least two years immediately
prior to the date of his election or appointment
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Voter Assistance
by Other Citizens
Electoral Law:
(1977, updated 1984)
Ch. 309, section 3233 states: "Any voter who is unable to
mark his ballots due to blindness, impossibility to use both of his hands
or for any other physical impediment shall have the right to choose a
person, whether he be a polling place official or not, who, while safeguarding
the secrecy of the vote, shall mark the ballots as instructed by the voter."
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