Haiti to rerun presidential election Oct. 9

By Senabri Silvestre

SANTO DOMINGO, Dom. Rep. (AA) – Haiti’s electoral commission said Monday that a rerun of presidential elections will be held Oct. 9.

If no candidate receives a majority of votes, a second round of voting will take place Jan. 8, 2017, according to a new electoral timetable published by the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP).

The electoral board welcomed findings last week of an independent investigation that recommend the results of elections last October be disqualified after uncovering widespread fraud.

A total of 54 candidates ran during the elections but they will have until June 23 to reconfirm their participation in the upcoming vote.

“New registrations will not be allowed to participate in the upcoming ballot,” CEP chief Leopold Berlanger said during a press conference.

The electoral commission will also conduct the second round of legislative complementary elections and a vote for the Upper House of Congress.

Preliminary results of the presidential elections are scheduled by Oct. 20. If a second round is necessary, results will be announced Jan 14. The entire process should be completed by April 2017.

Haiti has postponed run-off elections three times that were originally scheduled for Dec. 27, 2015 due to allegations of fraud that have caused social unrest and violence across the country.

Jovenel Moise of the Haitian Tet Kale Party led all votes during the Oct. 25, 2015 elections.

Former President Michel Martelly left office in February without a successor but signed an agreement with leading lawmakers by which Jocelemer Privert was named interim head of state.