Inside the United States, Outside the States

The United States possesses unincorporated territories across the globe, including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These territories are not part of any state and do not have governments established by Congress through an organic act.

Local Government, Limited National Voice

Territorial residents may vote for their own local governments. Some can elect representatives to Congress, but those representatives have observer status rather than full voting power. The District of Columbia and the territories cannot choose a voting member of Congress outside their respective areas, though all states and the District contribute electoral votes for president while the territories do not receive the same presidential role.

American Samoa is distinctive: it has a native resident population, adopted its own constitution in 1967, and has governed itself ever since.

Status Is Not Simple

In territories such as Puerto Rico, debates over statehood or independence continue. Even if a referendum is held, Congress must approve any change in status.

The political dilemma is stark. Residents must obey federal laws and, in relevant cases, register for the national Selective Service System, yet they cannot influence federal decisions on the same terms as citizens in the 50 states.

The Legacy of the Insular Cases

The Supreme Court has treated voting as a fundamental right of U.S. citizens, but territorial residents still lack full national voting rights. Critics connect these inequalities to the Insular Cases, a series of 1901 decisions that some scholars view as shaped by imperial and racist assumptions.

The territories reveal a boundary within the idea of citizenship: legal membership does not always produce equal political power.