Haiti sets December 2026 date for first round of presidential, legislative elections
Key Points(5)
- Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has released the country’s official 2026-2027 electoral calendar, setting December 13, 2026, as the date for the first round of presidential and legislative elections, along with a constitutional referendum.
- The calendar, welcomed by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Eminent Persons Group (EPG), outlines key steps leading up to the vote, including voter registration, candidate registration, campaigning, polling and the announcement of results.
- According to the CEP schedule, voter registration will run from July 20 to October 13, 2026, while political parties and coalitions must register between July 13 and August 14.
- Candidate registration is scheduled for August 20 to October 2, followed by the official electoral campaign period for the first round of presidential and legislative elections from October 5 to December 12.
- The first round of voting is set for December 13, 2026.
Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has released the country’s official 2026-2027 electoral calendar, setting December 13, 2026, as the date for the first round of presidential and legislative elections, along with a constitutional referendum.
The calendar, welcomed by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Eminent Persons Group (EPG), outlines key steps leading up to the vote, including voter registration, candidate registration, campaigning, polling and the announcement of results.
According to the CEP schedule, voter registration will run from July 20 to October 13, 2026, while political parties and coalitions must register between July 13 and August 14.
Candidate registration is scheduled for August 20 to October 2, followed by the official electoral campaign period for the first round of presidential and legislative elections from October 5 to December 12.
The first round of voting is set for December 13, 2026. Preliminary results for the presidential and legislative elections are expected on December 19, with final results scheduled for January 9, 2027, after the conclusion of the dispute process.
A second round of presidential, legislative and local elections is scheduled for February 21, 2027, with preliminary results expected the following day and final results to be published in March.
The CEP said the electoral timetable will depend on the existence of an "acceptable security environment" and the availability of financial resources required to carry out the process.
The CARICOM Eminent Persons Group said the publication of the calendar represents a critical step toward restoring constitutional order in Haiti.
"The availability of the calendar will no doubt give a boost to the critical ongoing preparatory stages of the electoral process," the group said, noting that the announcement will support the registration of political parties, platforms, coalitions and voters.
The EPG urged the CEP to continue working closely with all stakeholders and encouraged Haitians to participate in the electoral process to ensure free and credible elections.
The group also highlighted security as a major factor in the success of the elections, calling on countries contributing personnel to the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) to deploy their forces as soon as possible to strengthen international security assistance before the first round of voting.
Haiti has been without an elected president since July 2021, when President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated. The country has not held full national elections since Moïse was elected in 2016.
The planned elections are intended to restore an elected government after years of political instability, escalating gang violence and institutional challenges.
