Fair Elections – Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti

Our Work

BAI and IJDH work to protect the right of Haitians to select their government through fair elections. Using public advocacy and legal analysis, IJDH works to ensure that the international community has credible information about Haiti’s political situation, and that the rights of Haitian voters are prioritized in discussions and policy. BAI collaborates with grassroots groups and rural communities to help insert human rights issues into the campaign and promote candidate accountability. IJDH and BAI also use election monitoring to gather and disseminate real-time information on the progress of elections in Haiti.

Background to 2015 Elections
The administration of President Michel Martelly came to power in 2011 through deeply flawed elections with outsized involvement by powerful countries outside Haiti. This administration proposed several Provisional Electoral Councils (CEPs) to oversee elections between 2012 and 2014, none of which met constitutional requirements, and none of which were approved by Parliament. As a result, no elections have been held since, though legislative elections were constitutionally required in 2011 and 2013.

As a result of these election delays, the terms of all but 10 members of Parliament expired on January 12, 2015. With Parliament unable to act, President Martelly began governing without parliamentary oversight, in violation of the Haitian Constitution. A new CEP, regarded by most stakeholders as credible, has been established to administer presidential, legislative and local elections scheduled for three dates in 2015: August 9, October 25 and December 27. In these elections, Haitian voters will elect over 5,000 public officials, including a new President, 20 Senators, 118 Deputies and thousands of local officials.
BAI and IJDH strategies to promote fair elections include:

An online groundsourcing platform where Haitians can report by text message on any irregularities in voter registration and voting, as well as documenting initial election day results around the country
An accessible elections blog, produced by a collaboration including BAI/IJDH, featuring legal analysis, press releases and media interviews to inform international media and serve as a watchdog for international involvement in Haiti’s elections
Working with rural communities in BAI’s Civic Engagement Program to develop strategies for holding elected officials accountable and inserting human rights into election debates
Applying pressure on international governments and public officials to support initiatives that will promote democracy and development in Haiti

Developments

Letter from Member of Congress, Maxine Waters, to Ambassador Sison urging US to oppose elections in Haiti until politically motivated attacks against government critics have ceased and all Haitians are able to participate without fear- October 5, 2020 [informal French translation here]
Haiti Elections Blog – expert analysis of recent developments, legal resources, voting resources and fact check.
“Haiti 2017: From Demonstration Election to Electoral Coup” Haiti Action Committee, February 21, 2017
“Haiti’s Eroding Democracy” Jacobin, February 13, 2017
“Haiti’s Unrepresentative Democracy: Disenfranchisement and Disillusionment in the November 20 Elections” (report) National Lawyers Guild, International Association of Democratic Lawyers, February 6, 2017