A petition for Washington, D.C., statehood was approved by voters Tuesday.
{mosads}Voters supported a draft constitution that would turn the district into a full-fledged state, with a governor and 21-seat state legislature.
City leaders will submit the proposal to Congress for approval, but it faces staunch opposition by Republicans, since it would virtually guarantee two new Democratic Senate seats.
Approval of the plan was expected, with a November 2015 Washington Post poll showing that 71 percent of registered D.C. voters supporting statehood.