Completed project
Election observation in Haiti
August 2015 to June 2016
CAD$ 3,803,615
ParlAmericas and World University Service of Canada
CECI: Logistique et support de comptabilité
Since the 2010-2011 Presidential Elections, democratic development in Haiti has been stymied by legislative gridlock and political unrest complicated by the significant demands and pressures caused by the devastating effect of the earthquake of January 12, 2010. Elections were scheduled for Haiti’s departmental, municipal and commune levels for November 2010. However, representatives were instead appointed to replace mayors, city delegates and communal assembly and administration board members in hundreds of cities and communes across Haiti. Again in 2012, elections were scheduled and canceled for these offices and for one-third of seats in the country’s Senate. The terms of all Deputies and another third of remaining legislators in the Senate expired on January 12, 2015, leaving Haiti’s executive branch without legislative oversight.
In the spring of 2015 an ambitious electoral calendar was set to implement legislative, presidential and local elections before the end of 2015. The first round of Legislative elections were scheduled for August 9, with a second round scheduled to coincide with the first round of Presidential election and local elections on October 25. A presidential second round, if needed, was initially scheduled for December 27.
The activities of the Election Observation Mission (EOM) in Haiti consisted of observing and monitoring electoral processes as well as conducting analysis and reporting on electoral, security, and political issues. Mission reports emphasized the content of candidate platforms, candidate access to training, peacefulness of campaign rallies, candidate interaction with courts and the election administration and candidate outreach to voters, in addition to a general analysis of the legal framework and preparations of election administration. A dedicated Long Term Gender Analyst integrated gender considerations in the Project and thus increased awareness of barriers and put forward recommendations to the Haitian government for improved access and participation in elections by Haitian women. Unfortunately, due to the turmoil following the first round of the election, the second could not have been observed by the project.