As the candidate registration period officially opens this Thursday, August 20, 2026, the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) continues to implement the electoral calendar published on July 27. Candidates for the presidential, legislative, and local elections have until October 2 to submit their applications, in accordance with the provisions of the electoral decree of June 2, 2026.
Haiti’s electoral process, after more than a decade without a national election, has already crossed several significant milestones. The registration of political parties and groupings, which closed on August 14, resulted in the accreditation of 105 political structures, including 88 parties and 17 groupings. At the same time, the CEP opened 61 Voter Registration and Voting Centers (CIVs) in the West Department, including 32 new operational centers since August 13, to facilitate voter registration on the electoral roll.
On Wednesday, August 19, the institution held the draw for campaign numbers in the presence of Council members, the Minister for Women’s Affairs, representatives of political formations, and international partners. The 105 political structures were thus randomly and transparently assigned a number that will accompany them throughout the campaign.
The Security Concern: A Persistent Shadow
Despite these technical advances, the security question remains the primary concern. The CEP itself has conditioned compliance with electoral deadlines on “the establishment of an acceptable security climate.” However, the reality on the ground is alarming: armed gangs control approximately 70% of Port-au-Prince and the main roads leading to the provinces. According to the United Nations, more than 5,900 people were killed in Haiti last year, and over 1,600 between January and March 2026.
At least 23 municipalities in the West, Artibonite, Centre, and Northwest departments are currently under the control or influence of armed groups, making it impossible to set up communal electoral offices. This situation is causing deep concern among voters.
The international community, while welcoming the publication of the calendar as “an essential step,” is closely monitoring the evolution of the situation.
At the conclusion of a three-day visit to Port-au-Prince, the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin, called on Wednesday for Haiti and its partners to accelerate efforts to restore security and prepare for the general elections scheduled for December 13.
Financing the process constitutes the other major challenge: organizing national elections requires tens of millions of dollars that the CEP hopes to receive from its international partners.
CEP President Jacques Desrosiers has reaffirmed the institution’s determination to guarantee a fair and transparent process, but the persistence of insecurity casts a shadow over the ability of candidates to campaign and voters to go to the polls safely. As the registration window opens, Haiti’s electoral gamble remains suspended on the authorities’ capacity to restore a minimum of order throughout the territory.
@photo credit:lenational
