Politics: Haiti
Key Facts
—Who. Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), the body that organises elections, which has not held a national vote since 2016.
—What. It postponed the campaign period and gave no new date for the vote. A council member told AFP that the 13 December date no longer stands.
—Where. Haiti. Gangs control large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and other areas.
—When. The statement came on Tuesday 6 October 2026. The first round had been set for Sunday 13 December and the second for Sunday 21 February 2027.
—US link. The US State Department keeps Haiti at Level 4, Do Not Travel, its highest warning.
—Status. The council’s written statement did not confirm whether 13 December still stands. It says a new calendar will follow as soon as possible.
—As of. 7 October 2026, 23:15 GMT.
Haiti’s electoral council has postponed the election campaign and published no new date for the vote. A member told AFP that the 13 December first round no longer stands and that the council is working on a new timetable.
What We Know
The CEP said on Tuesday 6 October that the period first set for the election campaign is postponed, according to France 24 and La 1ère. It said the new calendar must reflect “technical and operational requirements” and the conditions needed for each stage of the process.
The campaign had been due to start on Monday 5 October, The Haitian Times reports. The same report says the council moved the deadline for candidates to register and file documents from 9 October to 31 October, to give candidates and parties time to finish the legal formalities.
The statement did not confirm whether 13 December still stands, The Haitian Times notes. An unnamed council member went further when speaking to AFP, saying the 13 December date no longer stands and that the council is working on a new timetable.
The cabinet, known as the Council of Ministers, had adopted amendments on Monday 5 October to the electoral decree of 2 June 2026. Media reports on what the amendments change are unconfirmed, and the authorities have not said.
A Vote Already Years Late
The council published its 2026-2027 calendar in late July, with a first round on 13 December and a runoff on 21 February 2027. Haiti has held no national election since 2016, and it has had no elected president since Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in 2021.
The Dominican newspaper Antena 7 headlined the news as the December vote left “without a date.” Our earlier guide to the 13 December vote for US travellers is now out of date on the schedule.
Registration and Candidates
About 770,000 people had registered to vote by 6 October, roughly 10% of an estimated 7.7 million eligible adults, according to The Haitian Times. Many communes have no registration centre because gangs control them, according to France 24.
Preliminary candidate counts cited by The Haitian Times were 12 for president, 271 for the Senate and 852 for the Chamber of Deputies. Those lists can still change, because registration now stays open until 31 October.
The Security Backdrop
Gang violence has displaced about 1.5 million Haitians, according to the International Organization for Migration. The UN counts at least 5,700 people killed or wounded between 1 January and 11 September 2026, as we reported in our report on the UN casualty count.
Armed groups control large parts of the capital, and a UN-backed Gang Suppression Force is deployed against them. Our explainer on the Haiti gang crisis sets out who the armed groups are and who is fighting them.
What Is Not Known
No new date for either round has been published. The council has promised a calendar as soon as possible but has not said when.
It is also unclear whether the 13 December date is formally dropped or only in doubt, since the written statement and the council member’s remark differ. The council has not said how the delay affects who runs the country in the meantime.
What It Means for Travelers and US Readers
For Americans, the delay does not change the travel picture: the State Department still tells US citizens not to travel to Haiti. Anyone with family or business in Haiti should expect political tension around any new timetable.
Haiti has no sitting parliament, so the cabinet issues the electoral rules by decree. Watch for the council’s new calendar and for any reaction from Washington and the UN.
More: Haiti news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Haiti cancelled its December election?
Not formally. The electoral council postponed the campaign and gave no new date, and a member told AFP that the 13 December date no longer stands. The council says a new calendar will follow.
When will Haiti hold its election now?
No one knows yet. The council has promised an updated calendar as soon as possible but has not named a date for either round.
When was Haiti’s last national election?
Haiti last held national elections in 2016. It has had no elected president since Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in 2021.
Is it safe for Americans to travel to Haiti?
No. The US State Department rates Haiti Level 4, Do Not Travel, its highest warning, because of kidnapping, crime and unrest.
Sources
The Haitian Times · France 24 · Outre-mer La 1ère · Antena 7 · US State Department, Haiti travel advisory
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief