Port-au-Prince, Tuesday, August 4, 2026 – With just a few months to go before the general elections scheduled for December 2026, the government intends to strengthen the involvement of the public administration in organizing the vote.
Through Circular No. 018, published on July 31, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé sets out the responsibilities of public institutions to ensure the implementation of the Electoral Decree of June 2, 2026, as amended on July 2, 2026, as well as compliance with the calendar established by the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP).
Addressed to the heads of national public administration institutions, this circular follows a working session held on July 25 at the National Palace on the role of the State in the electoral process. The head of government asks them to take all necessary measures to facilitate the implementation of electoral operations.
The document lists nine main responsibilities. Institutions will notably be required to respond promptly to CEP requests, issue within legal deadlines the certificates and other administrative documents required of candidates, standardize procedures across the national territory, and set up ad hoc structures to support the process. The Prime Minister’s Office also requires the designation of focal points responsible for liaising with the CEP and monitoring files. Ministries and oversight agencies are called upon to apply the provisions of the Electoral Decree rigorously, swiftly, and uniformly.
One of the major points of the circular concerns the neutrality of the public administration. The government reminds State employees that they must observe strict impartiality during the electoral process and refrain from any awareness-raising activities in favor of or against the proposed constitutional changes. Institution heads are also invited to remind civil servants of the legal conditions required to run for elective office.
The circular further prohibits any use of public resources for the benefit of candidates or political parties. Vehicles, equipment, goods, and other assets belonging to the State shall not be used for any electoral campaign. Offenders face administrative sanctions that may go as far as dismissal, without prejudice to criminal prosecution and fines provided for under the Electoral Decree.
To monitor the implementation of these measures, institution heads must submit a monthly report to the Prime Minister’s Office detailing the actions taken within their area of responsibility.
This mobilization of the public administration comes as the Provisional Electoral Council continues to implement the 2026–2027 electoral calendar. The CEP has announced the registration of 17 political groupings, bringing together 227 political parties out of the 316 accredited parties. The files must now be reviewed before the list of selected groupings is published, while the registration of political coalitions is scheduled for August 10–14, 2026.
In a statement issued Monday, the Provisional Electoral Council announced that an additional deadline had been granted to political parties wishing to form groupings for the upcoming elections. Following this decision, the period reserved for the formation of political party groupings will now run from August 4 to 6, 2026. The CEP also indicated that the final list of groupings that have met the legal requirements will be made public on August 8, 2026. The electoral body nonetheless specified that this extension does not alter the schedule for the registration of political coalitions, which remains set for August 10–14, 2026, in accordance with the already established electoral timeline.
The electoral calendar provides for the first round of the presidential election, legislative elections, and the popular consultation on the proposed constitutional changes to be held on December 13, 2026. The second round of the presidential election, the legislative runoffs, as well as local government elections, are scheduled for February 21, 2027, subject to a favorable security environment and the availability of necessary financial resources.
Having appeared Tuesday at the voter registration and voting center in Pétion-Ville to register on the electoral roll, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé affirmed that the electoral process will be completed despite persistent insecurity. When asked by journalists about adherence to the electoral calendar given the government’s inability to curb the security crisis, Mr. Fils-Aimé stated: “Insecurity cannot constitute an obstacle to the successful completion of the electoral process,” citing measures to support the Provisional Electoral Council in its mission.
The government, according to the Prime Minister’s Office, thus intends to strengthen coordination between State institutions and the CEP in order to guarantee a process that complies with the requirements of the Electoral Decree, while respecting the principles of neutrality, transparency, and equal treatment.
By Marie Farah Fortuné and Darbouze Figaro
