PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has reported that just over half a million voters have registered to participate in the upcoming elections scheduled for December. The registration process, which began on July 20, 2026, has recorded 506,953 registrations as of September 6, representing 12.6 percent of the CEP’s goal of four million registered voters by the October 13 deadline.
The elections, set for December 13, 2026, will include presidential and legislative contests as well as a constitutional referendum. This will mark the first time Haitians will vote since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021. Preliminary results are expected to be published on December 19, with final results slated for January 9, 2027. A second round of elections and local voting is scheduled for February 21, 2027, with final results anticipated by March 12.
Voter Registration Efforts and Challenges
The CEP has indicated that 2,761 operators are engaged in the field across a network of 1,418 registration centers, of which 1,271 are currently operational. Early in the registration process, the daily number of applications increased significantly, peaking with nearly 25,000 on August 17. However, the registration pace has since slowed, dropping below 3,000 applications per day by early September.
The gender distribution among registered voters shows 257,447 men and 248,769 women. Participation is highest among individuals aged 39 to 48, with 114,177 registrations, while younger voters (ages 18 to 28) account for 79,811 registrations. In contrast, voter participation declines notably among older age groups.
As of September 3, 2026, only 21 of the 105 approved political organizations have met the threshold of 30,000 endorsements necessary for candidacy. The deadline for the verification and validation of these endorsements is set for October 14, 2026.
In light of the approaching elections, Jerry Tardieu, a former deputy for Pétion-Ville, has reached out to CEP president Jacques Desrosiers. In an open letter, he has sought clarification on how Haitians residing abroad will be able to vote, including questions about registration procedures, identification requirements, and polling locations.
Why It Matters: The upcoming elections are critical for Haiti, aiming to restore democratic processes in the wake of political instability following the assassination of President Moise. Successful voter registration efforts and transparent electoral procedures are essential for building public confidence in the electoral system and ensuring broad participation from the Haitian population, both domestically and abroad.
