); Puerto Rico Constitution Day, 25
July (1952)

Constitution:

ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952;
effective 25 July 1952

Legal system:

based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of
justice

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do
not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January
2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January
2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the
legislature
elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated
territories, such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US
president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic
and Republican presidential primary elections; governor elected by
popular vote for a four-year term (no term limits); election last
held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
election results: Luis FORTUNO elected governor with 52.8% of the
vote, he will take office on 2 January 2009

Legislative branch:

bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held
November 2012); House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008
(next to be held in November 2012)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - PNP 22, PPD 5; House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA
note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner
to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US
House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor,
he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last
held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012); results -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PNP 1

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of
two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for
all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the
Senate)

Political parties and leaders:

National De