Haiti Election 2015 - Haiti Observer Blog

The latest poll just released by the Office of Research in Computer Science and Economic and Social Development, BRIDES continues to give the lead to Jude Celestin. However some candidates moved up while others, down. Moise Jean Charles is now in third place, leaving the second position to PHTK candidate, Jovenel Moise

Here the ten best candidates, based on BRIDES, latest poll:

10 -Mario Andresol

9 - Steeve Khawly

8 - Sauveur Pierre Étienne

7 - Steven Benoit

6 - Eric Jean Baptiste

5 - Jean-Henry Céant

4 - Maryse narcisse

3 - Dr.Maryse Narcisse

2 - Jovenel Moise

1 - Jude Célestin

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Should we be listening to someone with experience, someone who is older than many of us? I am referring to Ms. Mirlande Manigat. The 74 year-old former First Lady, former 2010 presidential candidate spoke few days following the visit of the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to Port-au-Prince. While the US Secretary insists on election in Haiti this year, Ms. Manigat on the other hand is assuring her place at the next transitional government.

US government has clearly rejected the demands by several opposition groups in Haiti to invalidate the results of recent legislative elections, and to set up a transitional government that will be conducting the next election. "Let me be very clear! The only way to have a change of government is through the election process," said John Kerry.

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You can say that it is a miracle or you can say that Jean Bertrand Aristide is still a political force in Haiti. However the fact remains that after the leader of the Political Party Fanmi lavalas has spoken, there has been a major effect. According to the latest poll conducted by Haitian Study firm "Sigma Stat Consulting Group", Maryse Narcisse is now the leading candidate.

A total of 1,025 people were sampled for the study. The results obtained was as follows:

- Maryse Narcisse (Fanmi Lavalas) with 27.9%
- Jovenel Moïse (PHTK), 18.9%
- Jude Célestin "(LAPEH) with 14.9%
- Jean-Charles Moïse (Pitit Dessalin) with 8.8%
- Steven Benoit (platform Konviksyon) 6%

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Secretary of State John Kerry came to Haiti on Tuesday to delver a message he hopes will carry all the way to the October 25, 2015. He is hoping for a "smoother process" than what took place in August.

According to Secretary of State John Kerry, "Haiti needs governing institutions that are legitimate and representative, and those cannot come into being without free and fair elections that take part without intimidation or without violence"

Several things became clear with the arrival of the Secretary of State John Kerry in Haiti. For one we now know for a fact the election will take place on October 25. If anyone had some doubts in the past that it may not happen, I would advise you to remove that from your mind. Second, the transfer of power will take place on February 7 of next year. President Michel Martelly once again reiterated that fact for anyone who may have missed it.

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It appears that the recent attacks and accusations that have been mounting against Haiti Provisional Electoral Council(CEP) are having some effects. One of its members, Néhémy Joseph, realized that this is no longer an environment for him to work as he handed his resignation letter to President Michel Martelly.

A copy of the resignation letter is included. In his three page letter addressed to the President, Mr. Néhémy Joseph referred to the ongoing criticisms against the CEP stating that the country needs inclusive and impartial election

Questions:
With the resignation of Néhémy Joseph from the CEP, do you see any hope for the election process to continue its course?

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On Thursday, August 20, the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has announced that the voters from 25 districts in Haiti, who could not complete their voting peacefully on August 9, will have another chance to recast their votes to elect their lawmakers. The CEP has decided to hold this first round of legislative elections along with the second round of voting on October 25, 2015.

On August 9, three voting centers in the capital city and numerous polling places in other sections of the country were closed because men armed with rocks and bottles attacked polling stations and several gangs overran a number of voting centers in Port-au-Prince and other areas, forcing election officials to halt balloting. Two people were killed in violence; the percentage of polling was reported to be less than the expectation, a meager 18%, and just three deputies of 119 were chosen as per CEP report. In the country's largest department (Ouest) where the capital is located, the overall percentage of polling was below 10%. Sixteen candidates have been disqualified for their alleged involvement in the August 9 crimes and violence. There will be a re-election in 25 polling stations out of a total 1,508 - that saw massive irregularities and low turnout. Nowhere in the country did the voter turnout exceed 50%. The CEP could not reveal the names of the successful candidates, because, the winners' names were not available on the website as it went down immediately following CEP's announcement. As per new report dated August 21, no senator was elected in the first round for deputies.

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The final results of the 1st round of legislative elections in Haiti are finally public. We finally learned that a total of 2 senators and 8 deputies have already been elected in the first round or since August 9, 2015.

Here are the candidates who have been elected in the first round:

Senators:
- Jean Renel Sénatus (West - LIDE), with 43.18%
- Youri Latortue, AAA, Artibonite Department with 46%.

Deputies:
- Cholzer Chancy, Ennery (Artibonite) - AAA
- Fritz Chery, Gros Morne (Artibonite) - AAA
- Garcia Delva, Dessalines (Artibonite) - PHTK
- A. Rodon Bien-Aimé , Cerca-Carvajal/Quartier de los Palis (Centre) - PHTK
- Gabriel Lyonel Jean, Lascahobas (Centre) - VERITE
- Rony Celestin, Cerca-la-Souce (Centre) - PHTK
- Bernard Anouce Jhon, Beaumon (Grand Anse) - PHTK
- Jackie Guerrier, Poite-à-Raquette (West) - INITE PATRIYOTIK

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On Thursday, August 30, 2015, on a "Workshop for validating the draft Law on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of the Violence Against Women" the Prime Minister Evans Paul has announced that in a measure to prevent violence against women candidates, the Superior Council of the National Police will depute a police officer for the protection of each woman candidate in the coming legislative election.

The Prime Minister took this opportunity to welcome the partnership of different ministries and international partners involved in the development of this draft law. As of May 29th, females comprise approximately 8% of all candidates in the legislative elections-- only 151 women of the total 1800 candidates. It shows a gap between Haitian political policies and practice because the Haitian constitution requires political parties to meet a 30% quota for female candidates.

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The day before the Sunday's critical vote on August 9th, the election officials in Haiti were training polling station workers and hurrying delivering millions of ballots and other materials to the polling stations while some of them were located in the most remote part of the country.

Political parties were scrambling to get their agents' identification documents to witness and monitor the proceedings inside the polling stations, because the Provisional Electoral Council could not grant them on time. Although the Haitian police chief, Orélus Godson, with a sense of serenity had ensured before the election that the security forces would be implemented, security plans are in place, many people were scared on the election day, wondering if they go to vote, they might get shot at during the first round of parliamentary elections on Sunday, August 9. In Haiti, elections have long been synonymous with violence; it is the security on election day that is of concern.

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The two agencies, such as the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) and its partner United Nations Development Program (UNDP), both engaged in ensuring a fair election process in Haiti have put much emphasis on the active participation of country's youth force in the electoral process. During the first week of August, in a measure to transform the youths to active citizens, a series of training process was undertaken for a first group of 140 individuals. They were taught about the democracy and the importance of a fair and peaceful election, corruptions and electoral laws, how to cast a vote, are only some to name. These youths will again train their peers so that they can take an active part in the electoral process.

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