Haiti’s First Vote in a Decade Draws Nine Presidential Hopefuls
HAITI · ELECTIONS
Key Facts
- —The country Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. It has had no elected president since Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in July 2021.
- —Why it matters The vote is meant to be Haiti’s first national election in a decade and to end years of transitional rule by unelected leaders.
- —What happened Nine men had registered online to run for president by the morning of 23 September, Le Nouvelliste reported. The electoral council’s own count two days earlier was seven.
- —Who is involved Candidates include former interim prime minister Claude Joseph, former interim president Jocelerme Privert and Wilner Joseph, who launched his campaign on Sunday 27 September.
- —What it means for you A 13 December first round is still the official date. Any slip would extend transitional rule, which business groups say must end to restore confidence and economic activity.
- —Still open The final electoral rules, the length of the next presidential term, and which candidates the electoral council will approve.
The field for the Haiti presidential election is taking shape, with nine men registered by the morning of 23 September. The Port-au-Prince daily Le Nouvelliste obtained the list from the online platform of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), which runs Haitian elections.
The first round is set for 13 December. It would be the country’s first national vote in a decade, but its rules are still not final.
Who has signed up
Le Nouvelliste named them as Claude Joseph, Ricardo Jean-Pierre, Gary Beaudo, Wilson Jeudy and Wilner Joseph. The others are Jocelerme Privert, Maxo Joseph, Munir Joseph Moura and Gandy Dorfeuille.
Claude Joseph founded the Engagés pour le Développement party and served as interim prime minister, the news site Juno7 reported. Privert was interim president before Moïse took office in February 2017.
On Sunday 27 September, the Viktwa platform launched Wilner Joseph’s campaign at a rally in Pétion-Ville, Juno7 reported. Viktwa says it groups 52 parties and political structures.
What the electoral council says
The CEP’s own statement of 21 September counted seven presidential candidacies, 162 for the Senate and 419 for the lower house. Both Juno7 and The Haitian Times reported those figures.
The council has extended online candidate registration to 9 October. It also reported 628,755 registered voters, just over 10 percent of the potential electorate.
The Haitian Times reported that nearly 20 municipalities could not receive candidate filings at their usual offices because armed gangs are present. On Thursday 24 September, Peterson Pierre-Louis took over as CEP president from Jacques Desrosiers, Juno7 reported.
Pressure for a credible vote
Four business associations said on 22 September that Haiti needs “a realistic and definitive timetable”. They said the private sector refuses to let elections become “a mere formality”, Le Nouvelliste reported.
Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé spoke at a United Nations meeting on 24 September. “The next Government of Haiti must go through the ballot box,” he said.
What Is Not Yet Known
Le Nouvelliste, in an editorial, said candidates are still waiting for a third version of the electoral decree. It argued they cannot know if the next term lasts four, five or six years, as a new constitution is drafted.
The CEP has not yet ruled on which candidacies are valid, and Le Nouvelliste called its list provisional. Candidates must still file documents in person before a final list is published.
It is also unclear how diaspora voting will work. Nor is it known whether registration will reach enough voters before the Haiti presidential election on 13 December.
For background, see Haiti Explained 2026 and Haiti December Election Set as First Vote in a Decade.
Sources: Le Nouvelliste, 23 September 2026 (candidate list); Le Nouvelliste editorial, 23 September; Le Nouvelliste, business associations; Le Nouvelliste, UN meeting; Juno7, CEP update of 21 September; Juno7, new CEP president; Juno7, Viktwa launch; The Haitian Times, 23 September.
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