Haiti schedules presidential and legislative elections for December 2026

Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has announced the official electoral calendar for the 2026-2027 election cycle, setting December 13, 2026, as the date for the first round of presidential and legislative elections, alongside a constitutional referendum.

The timetable, which has been welcomed by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Eminent Persons Group (EPG), lays out the major phases of the electoral process, including voter registration, candidate nominations, campaigning, voting and the release of election results.

Under the schedule, voter registration will take place from July 20 to October 13, 2026, while political parties and coalitions must register between July 13 and August 14. Candidates will be able to file their nominations from August 20 through October 2.

Campaigning for the first round of the presidential and legislative elections will run from October 5 to December 12, ahead of the December 13 vote. Preliminary results are expected on December 19, with final certified results to be published on January 9, 2027, following the completion of any legal challenges.

A second round of presidential, legislative and local elections is scheduled for February 21, 2027. Preliminary results are expected the following day, while final results are slated for publication in March.

The CEP noted that the electoral timetable remains contingent on the availability of adequate funding and an acceptable security environment to ensure the process can be conducted safely and effectively.

CARICOM’s Eminent Persons Group described the release of the electoral calendar as a significant milestone in Haiti’s efforts to restore constitutional governance.

“The availability of the calendar will no doubt give a boost to the critical ongoing preparatory stages of the electoral process,” the group said, adding that it will facilitate the registration of political parties, coalitions and voters.

The EPG also encouraged the CEP to continue engaging with all stakeholders and urged Haitians to participate in the electoral process to help ensure free, fair and credible elections.

Highlighting the country’s ongoing security challenges, the group called on nations contributing personnel to the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) to expedite their deployments, saying stronger international security support will be essential ahead of the first round of voting.

Haiti has been without an elected president since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021. The country has not held comprehensive national elections since Moïse’s election in 2016.

The planned elections are intended to restore democratic governance after years of political turmoil, escalating gang violence and prolonged institutional instability.

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