Haiti postpones December 13 elections, its first in a decade, until further notice
Only about 10% of eligible voters had registered, and the electoral council has extended candidate deadlines to October 31.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti. Haiti's interim administration has postponed the general elections planned for December 13, which would have been the country's first in a decade, until further notice.
Caribbean Community governments and partners including Mexico, Brazil and the United Nations had hoped the vote would return Haiti to democracy, but few say they are surprised.
In early 2024, these groups joined Haitian stakeholders at an emergency summit in Jamaica to help form a transitional government to restore democracy, tackle armed gangs and put the economy on a path to recovery.
Low registration
As the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) prepared for the first round, only about 800,000 people, or about 10 per cent of eligible voters, had registered. Only 12 presidential candidates and 270 senate candidates had formally indicated they would take part, and some presidential candidates had not completed their paperwork.
"The period originally scheduled for the electoral campaign has been postponed," the CEP said. "The timetable will be made public as soon as possible."
The candidate registration period had been due to close on October 9. The CEP has extended online registration and the deadline for documents to October 31. The campaign, due to begin on October 5, has also been postponed, with new dates to be set in consultation with authorised political organisations.
Authorities say they will open online portals for digital registration and cut some paperwork requirements for candidates.
Security crisis
Haiti remains the only CARICOM member without a democratic government. Its last elections were in 2016, and the mandates of thousands of elected officials have long expired. CARICOM has deployed a three-person team of former prime ministers to work with local stakeholders.
The chaos that followed the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse at his home in July 2021 gave gangs an opening to control life in the capital. In late August, gangs invaded the Kenscoff neighbourhood outside the capital, killing 47 people, including civilians hiding in a church.
UN officials say at least 5,700 people were killed between January and early September, most linked to gang activity or security operations. The UN has also recorded just over 270 kidnappings and more than 1,000 incidents of rape or sexual assault against women.
