Voter registration opens as Haiti eyes december polls

Haitians register to vote in the upcoming general election in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, July 30, 2026. - Copyright © africanews Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All right reserved Last updated: 39 minutes ago Haiti Voter registration began Thursday in Haiti’s capital and beyond, marking a critical milestone in the push for general elections even as concerns over widespread gang violence persist. The government opened 10 registration centers across Port-au-Prince in neighborhoods considered generally safe as dozens of hopeful Haitians trickled through. Haiti hasn’t held general elections in more than a decade, and the country hasn’t had a president since President Jovenel Moïse was killed at his private residence in July 2021. Gang violence has only surged since then, with armed men controlling an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and the main roads that lead to the country’s Central and Artibonite provinces, which also are under fire, but Haiti’s unelected prime minister is under pressure to hold elections, with Dec. 13 marking the first round. More than 50% of Haiti’s electorate live in those three regions, and it’s unclear whether all those seeking to vote will be able to register, let alone vote, given the ongoing violence. Jacques Desrosiers, president of Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council, said he plans to open more voter registration centers in upcoming weeks, including 20 in Pétion-Ville, considered one of the safest areas. As for the possibility of opening centers in other communities, he said that lies in the hands of Haiti’s government. More than 5,900 people were killed last year across Haiti, and more than 1,600 others from January to March of this year, according to the United Nations. There are questions about whether the candidates will be able to campaign and whether the population will feel safe enough to go out to vote. Ismail Wilson registered to vote early in the morning but admitted that security is his main concern and called on the government to make it safe. “It is up to them to do their job because they have all the necessary means at their disposal— make it safe so that everyone can go to the polls and choose a candidate.” You may also like