U.S. citizens in Haiti voice frustration over limited voting options

PORT-AU-PRINCE — As U.S. citizens in Haiti prepare for the upcoming election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, many are frustrated by the lack of clear information on voting while abroad. Although absentee ballots are available, many Americans in Haiti are unfamiliar with the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB), which serves as a backup option. Due to limited guidance on local options, some voters have had to travel to the United States to cast their votes in recent elections.

Victoria Baillergeau, a Haitian American living in Haiti, remembers when she was able to vote in Haiti during the 2012 election between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Back then, the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince provided a voting center in Pétion-Ville for citizens living in Haiti. Since that time, however, Baillergeau has had to fly to the United States to vote, with little information available locally.

“To vote in cent elections, several of my friends and I, to vote, we had to go to the United States,” said philanthropist Baillergeau, founder and CEO of Espwa Pou Fanm Ayisyen (EFA), which means ‘Hope for Haitian Women’ in Creole. “There are no announcements in Haiti for people to vote this year; there is nothing on their site, and you can’t find any information on this matter.”

For Americans residing outside the United States, including those in Haiti, voting is possible via mail-in absentee ballots. According to a 2020 statement from the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, citizens can request an absentee ballot through the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP ) site. Once completed, the ballot can be mailed back to the U.S. through several options: dropping it off at the U.S. Embassy—Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., using international mail or courier services, or having a trusted person hand-deliver it.

“To vote in recent elections, several of my friends and I had to go to the United States. There are no announcements in Haiti for people to vote this year; there is nothing on their site, and you can’t find any information on this matter.”

Victoria Baillergeau, Haitian American living in Haiti

Delivery of the absentee ballot typically takes 2 to 3 weeks. If an absentee ballot hasn’t arrived, the FWAB offers a solution. Whether online or at a U.S. Embassy, the FWAB acts as an emergency ballot to ensure overseas citizens can vote on time. After sending the FWAB, voters should still submit their official absentee ballot if it arrives later, though only one ballot will ultimately be counted.

Limited access to voting resources and local frustration

Baillergeau shared her disappointment with the lack of communication on the voting process for Americans in Haiti. 

“Yes, it’s an obstacle. They make everything difficult in Haiti, especially for voting. If voting is important to you, you have to travel to Miami to vote,” she said, noting that this year, she will not make the trip.

The embassy currently advises that voters seeking assistance can reach the American Citizen Services (ACS) unit by calling (509) 2229-8000 or emailing VotePortAuPrince@state.gov. Still, the absence of a local voting center has frustrated Americans like Bailergeau, who feel disconnected from the process.

Haitians skeptical of U.S. election’s impact on Haiti

As the U.S. election draws closer, some Haitians who follow American politics express skepticism about how either candidate would impact Haiti. Social worker Joseph Nicolas noted that neither candidate appears likely to offer support in Haiti’s ongoing battle with gang violence. “Aside from the possibility of Harris granting TPS to Haitian migrants, there will be little that benefits Haiti,” he said.

For academic Hugues Petit Homme, both Democrats and Republicans are driven by American interests. “Americans don’t give more; everything they do concerns their own interests,” he explained.

Baillergeau, who mainly advocates for women’s and girls’ rights in Haiti, echoed the sentiment, saying Haitians should focus on their own country’s future.

 “It’s us, Haitians, who must take charge of our country. We gained independence by our own means, so why think the U.S. will do something for us?” she said.

The election campaign ends Tuesday when Harris and Trump face off for the American people to decide who will be President Joe Biden’s successor in the United States presidency on January 20, 2025. An election that could see either Trump leading the United States for a second time or Harris becoming the first woman president of her country. 

This election could become historic in U.S. presidential history, especially since the exact number of American residents in Haiti who wish to vote remains unknown.

Official data on the number of Americans or Haitian-Americans in Haiti is unavailable. However, following the January 12, 2010 earthquake, The New York Times reported that more than 45,000 U.S. citizens were in the country during the disaster. Among them were missionaries, humanitarian workers, businesspeople, tourists, and residents of Haiti. Still, these figures did not specify the number of U.S. citizens living permanently in Haiti, which may have decreased over time.

The American Citizen Services (ACS) unit reported that approximately 15,000 American citizens registered with the consular section in 2017. However, the U.S. Embassy expressed doubts about the exact number of Americans living in Haiti, noting that the actual figure is likely higher.

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U.S. citizens in Haiti voice frustration over limited voting options was first posted on November 5, 2024 at 8:28 am.