Background

The United States currently has several territories and jurisdictions that could potentially become the 51st state. The most likely candidates are:

• Puerto Rico: A U.S. territory that has held multiple non-binding referendums on statehood, with the most recent in 2020 showing 52.3% support for statehood. A binding referendum may occur in November 2023.

• Washington, D.C.: The nation's capital has long sought statehood, with several bills passing the House but facing Senate opposition.

Resolution Criteria

This market will resolve YES if any new state is officially admitted to the Union before January 1, 2026. This requires:

• Passage of an admission bill by both houses of Congress

• Presidential signature

• Completion of any required territorial/local procedures

The market will resolve NO if no new state is admitted by January 1, 2026.

Considerations

• Statehood requires 60 votes in the Senate for cloture, making the process politically challenging

• The admission of a new state would require significant logistical changes, including modifications to the U.S. flag and reapportionment of Congressional seats

• Historical precedent shows that the statehood process typically takes several years from serious consideration to admission

• The last state admitted was Hawaii in 1959, and significant political polarization has made admission of new states more challenging in recent decades