Haiti’s electoral preparations have entered a critical new phase, with the country’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) officially opening the window for candidates to complete their candidacy declarations for the upcoming 2026 general elections. In an official memorandum released on September 12, the CEP outlined a clear 10-day timeline for all documentation submission and procedural requirements, running from September 13 through September 22, 2026.
To streamline the filing process and align with Haiti’s administrative electoral structure, the CEP has assigned different submission locations based on the position a candidate is seeking. Senate hopefuls are required to submit all their required paperwork to the Departmental Electoral Office (BED) that corresponds to their home department. For candidates running for seats in the Chamber of Deputies or positions in local government bodies, the standard submission point is the competent Municipal Electoral Office (BEC) serving their electoral district.
Special arrangements have been put in place for high-volume and geographically specific candidacies based in the country’s West Department. All presidential candidates, along with West Department-based Senate contenders, will complete their filing procedures at the West I BED headquarters, which is housed in the CEP annex along Route de Frères.
In a move to address existing operational constraints and ensure no eligible candidate is blocked from participating due to local administrative disruptions, the CEP has revised submission protocols for a number of specific districts across the country. For deputy and local government candidates running in 10 West Department districts—Carrefour, Gressier, Kenscoff, Cabaret, Cornillon/Grand-Bois, Croix-des-Bouquets, Fonds-Verrettes, Ganthier, Thomazeau, and Port-au-Prince III—all candidacy declarations and supporting documentation will be accepted directly by the West I BED, pending a final formal review of submissions. Similar centralized adjustments have been made for districts in Artibonite and Centre departments: deputy and local government candidates from Grande-Saline, La Chapelle, Liancourt, Marchand-Dessalines, Montrouis, Petite-Rivière de l’Artibonite, and Verrettes will file with the Artibonite BED, while candidates from Mirebalais and Saut-d’Eau will submit their materials to the Centre BED.
In closing the official announcement, the CEP reaffirmed its public commitment to upholding the highest standards for the upcoming electoral process. The council emphasized that it will run the election in an inclusive, impartial, transparent, and accountable manner, strictly adhering to core principles of electoral independence and integrity, while protecting the constitutional right of all Haitian citizens to participate in the country’s democratic governance.