As Haiti Stumbles Toward Elections, NCHR Urges Extension of Voter Registration Period

See also:
Country Report on Human Rights Practices in 1999
International Narcotics Control Strategy Report

As Haiti lurches toward its most important elections since the ballot that brought Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power as the nation's first democratically-elected president in 1990, ongoing problems with voter registration efforts have led NCHR to recommend that the Provisional Election Council (CEP) delay the March 19 vote for an additional month to ensure that all eligible Haitians have an opportunity to obtain a registration card.

Registration was originally scheduled to begin on January 10, the date the parliamentary election campaign was officially launched.  However, administrative problems at the CEP forced a postponement until January 24; even with this delay, none-the-less, registration only began outside Port-au-Prince on that date and did not commence inside the capital until early February. Further poor planning by the CEP resulted in the opening of only 3,500 registration offices around the country (as compared with 10,000 for the 1997 elections), leading to immediate complaints that many areas of the country were underserved, including popular neighborhoods like Cite Soleil in Port-au-Prince. Finally, the CEP botched the organization and delivery of the cameras, film and lamination materials necessary to produce the cards—many, if not most, registration offices ran out of materials after just a few weeks of operation and suspended work or closed completely.

An NCHR visit to Haiti last week confirmed the widespread reports of administrative chaos in the voter registration process. A random survey of 25 registration offices—including the six offices set up in Cite Soleil—found 17 closed (including 5 of 6 in Cite Soleil) for lack of registration materials and 8 still open and functioning, although with most of those running low on film and plastic for the cards. Those offices that were open appeared to be functioning smoothly, although election workers admitted that poor training got them off to a rocky start when the offices first opened and demand for the cards was unexpectedly high—much material was wasted until the staff learned how to use the cameras and lamination systems correctly, and the delays and mistakes contributed to frustrations generating unruly lines.

Nevertheless, enthusiasm for obtaining a voter registration card seemed very high among the voting population, largely, however, as a result of a widespread desire of many Haitians to obtain their first photo identification card of any kind. Accordingly, the inability of many to find a registration office has led to widespread complaints and street protests in the capital and several areas of the country.  And some political groups—particularly former president Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas—are already using the registration problems as a pretext to threaten to claim that the elections were not fair if their candidates do not do well.

Given these circumstances, NCHR believes that the CEP should postpone the March 19 election date for one month to enable the largely-ineffectual institution to extend registration opportunities to all Haitians who wish to obtain a voting card. Recognizing its registration stumbles, the CEP has already agreed to keep its voting card offices open until March 3, but the additional week is not enough time to mitigate the problems that have plagued the process to date. An additional month will give the CEP time to open new registration offices and to launch a long-delayed registration and voter-education campaign. The CEP has proven administratively unable to organize any part of the voting process competently in a short time period, and opening new offices and distributing additional materials to existing offices long closed will take time.

One additional month added to an election-organizing process already plagued by a year of incompetence and delays is a necessary last step to avoid the worst outcome of what promises to be under the best of circumstances a messy election. If the vote is to be seen as fair by all parties, then all parties must agree that the registration process has been fair, that all candidates' supporters have had a chance to obtain a voting card.

One additional month should also give the political candidates time to turn away from the unending silly charges and countercharges over conspiracies to steal the elections and focus on the dire issues facing the country. Regardless of the admittedly-huge turnout to obtain voter cards, voters have been given no reason to date by any of the candidates or parties to turn out and actually vote—and with no reason to vote, those holding the coveted photo identification cards will carefully guard them, ignore the bickering candidates, and stay home on election day, just as 95% decided to do so in the last ballot organized in 1997.