Haiti must not rush to reschedule elections. A credible, secure electoral process is the priority

The CEP announced in July 2026 that the first round of presidential and parliamentary elections would be held on December 13, 2026, and on October 6 confirmed that the start of the official campaign was cancelled. The authors, from Chatham House's Latin America Programme and the National Democratic Institute, argue that the delay should be used to set a realistic timetable. A new date close to the old one, they write, would leave unresolved the problems that forced the postponement.

The paper reports that 812,548 voters had registered by October 13, about 12 percent of an estimated 6.6 million eligible voters and well short of the CEP's target of 3 to 4 million, with uneven coverage by area and low registration among young people. It notes that the police and the Gang Suppression Force have yet to retake gang-held territory, that the CEP lacks capacity to vet candidates, that a proposal to decentralize vote tabulation has raised concerns, and that the constitutional reforms due for a popular vote have not been presented.

It compares indefinite postponement, a quick new date, and a firm but realistic date tied to benchmarks, and favors the last. For registration it sets out three routes: expand the CEP drive, return to the ONI civil registry, or a hybrid that lets ONI cardholders vote. Its recommendations are a framework of benchmarks on participation, institutional effectiveness, constitutional clarity and security; security planning that prioritizes electoral access in Artibonite, Centre and Ouest; financing for the whole electoral cycle through UNDP's Electoral Basket Fund; dispute and contingency mechanisms; and an international pre-election assessment mission before the end of 2026.