Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has announced significant progress in voter registration as preparations continue for the upcoming elections. As of September 21, over 628,755 voters have registered, representing more than 10 percent of the electorate that holds a National Identification Card. This milestone was achieved two months after registration efforts commenced.
Operational Centers and Participation Rates
According to the CEP, a total of 1,285 Registration and Polling Centers (CIVs) are currently operational throughout the country. Several departments have reported high functionality rates, with Grand’Anse, Southeast, South, Nippes, and Northeast having more than 95 percent of their centers active. Notably, in the West Department, 148 centers are processing voter registrations daily.
The Southeast, Grand’Anse, and Nippes departments displayed the highest registration rates, with participation at 16 percent, 15 percent, and 14.5 percent of their respective voting-age populations. Voter registration in these areas began on July 20 through July 30, and the initiative is ongoing across all regions.
In addition to voter registration, the CEP has completed the registration process for political parties and groups, conducting a public draw to assign campaign numbers to approved entities. As of late September, 30 political entities, including 18 parties and 12 groupings, have registered their candidates on the official platform.
Current figures show seven presidential candidates, 162 for the Senate, 419 for the Chamber of Deputies, 162 for municipal councils, 180 for CASEC (local assembly), and 89 for ASEC (local administrative). Candidate registration, which began on August 20, will continue until October 9.
The CEP is also actively recruiting and training personnel for the election process. So far, 2,853 Electoral Registry Agents and 4,643 Electoral Security Agents have been trained. Additionally, the CEP held training sessions on electoral disputes on September 17, involving over 1,000 electoral law commissioners and judges from nine departments.
Why It Matters
The ongoing voter and candidate registration efforts are crucial for ensuring a transparent electoral process in Haiti. With the CEP diligently working to establish the necessary infrastructure, public participation in the elections may lead to strengthened democratic governance in the country.
