In the 2012 Puerto Rican status referendum, 54% of the ballots cast were against the continuation of the island's status as a territory of the US. Of the votes for new status, a 61.1% majority chose statehood. This was by far the most successful referendum for statehood advocates. In all earlier referenda, votes for statehood were matched almost equally by votes for remaining an American territory, with the remainder for independence. Support for U.S. statehood has risen in each successive popular referendum.