Haiti delays voter and candidate registration, amplifying doubts about long-stalled electoral process

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has postponed voter and candidate registration for the 2026 elections, further delaying a long-awaited electoral process in a country that has not held national elections in more than a decade.

Originally scheduled to begin April 1 for voters and April 13 for candidates, the registration phases are now on hold, with no new dates announced. CEP officials said the delay follows a government decree requiring the council to align the electoral framework with a national political pact tied to a proposed constitutional referendum.

The postponement adds to growing uncertainty over Haiti’s electoral timeline, which is already under pressure from political disputes, security concerns and unresolved funding questions.

In a Wednesday statement, the CEP said the decision came after a registration simulation conducted earlier this month by Jacques Desrosier, president of the electoral institution. The council indicated it must now revise its electoral decree to comply with Articles 12 and 14 of the  National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections, an agreement backed by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and other political actors.

The decree, adopted by the Council of Ministers on March 24, modifies the CEP’s mandate and requires it to integrate the referendum process into the broader electoral framework.

“A process that significantly impacts the electoral timetable,” the CEP said, noting that the institution is now focused on aligning a Dec. 1, 2025 electoral decree with some of the political pact provisions.

Under the pact, political stakeholders agreed to propose limited constitutional amendments during the transition period and submit them to voters during the first round of elections. If approved, the interim government would implement the changes.

The requirement marks a shift from earlier plans. Before its departure on Feb. 7, 2026, the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) officially abandoned in October 2025 efforts to organize a constitutional referendum, effectively removing that responsibility from the CEP’s mandate — under pressure from both national and international actors.

The reintroduction of the referendum component has raised concerns within the council. CEP officials say the new provision could undermine its institutional independence, prompting the body to suspend key steps in the electoral calendar.

“The Provisional Electoral Council reaffirms its commitment to conducting the electoral process in strict respect of its institutional independence and democratic standards, in an inclusive, impartial and transparent manner,” the statement read.

Despite the delay, the CEP has made some progress. Between March 2 and March 12, it approved 282 political parties out of 320 applicants to participate in the elections.

However, critical next steps — including voter and candidate registration — remain stalled, leaving the overall timeline unclear.

Electoral calendar disrupted

Several key milestones in the 2026 electoral calendar are now affected:

• April 1 – June 29, 2026: Voter registration — postponed
• April 13 – May 15, 2026: Candidate registration — postponed
• May 17 – July 31, 2026: Recruitment of polling staff
• May 19 – Aug. 28, 2026: Campaign period (first round)
• Aug. 30, 2026: First round of voting
• Oct. 3, 2026: Final results
• Nov. 6 – Dec. 5, 2026: Second-round campaign
• Dec. 6, 2026: Second round of voting
• Jan. 7, 2027: Final presidential results
• Feb. 7, 2027: Inauguration

However, after the April 8 announcement of the delay, it remains unclear whether these dates will be maintained or revised as part of a whole new electoral calendar.

Meanwhile, tensions between the CEP and the government appear to be rising. According to sources familiar with discussions between the two entities, council members met Thursday with Prime Minister Fils-Aimé to discuss the electoral process. The prime minister reportedly suggested drafting a new electoral calendar to postpone the elections until next year and also demanded a reduction in the electoral budget. The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized spokespersons, also said members of Fils-Aimé’s staff warned CEP officials to exercise restraint or risk dismissal.

Security and funding remain major obstacles

Beyond political and legal challenges, longstanding structural issues continue to threaten the process.

CEP President Jacques Desrosiers has warned that elections cannot proceed without adequate funding and security. To date, no electoral budget has been finalized, leaving uncertainty over how the process will be financed.

At the same time, armed gangs continue to control parts of the country, including areas designated as polling centers. During a March 31 meeting with Justice Minister Patrick Pélissier, Desrosiers stressed the need to restore state authority in roughly 20 municipalities currently outside government control.

“Establishing an acceptable level of security is an essential prerequisite for adhering to the calendar,” Desrosiers said.

With voter registration now postponed and key conditions unresolved, Haiti’s path toward elections remains uncertain, extending a prolonged political transition with no clear end date.

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