CEP revises electoral calendar but keeps Dec. 13 for first round

Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has modified the electoral calendar while maintaining December 13 as the date for the first round of elections, according to Le Nouvelliste. The council said the registration of the 30,000 members required from political organizations under the electoral decree had taken longer than anticipated. As of Wednesday, September 2, only 21 of 105 political structures had managed to register their 30,000 members, the newspaper reported. Because that step is a prerequisite for filing candidacies, the CEP decided to extend the candidate registration period until October 14. Le Nouvelliste noted that the extension affects several other electoral operations but does not change the December 13 date set for the first round. In related developments cited by the outlet, the CEP has installed a registration and voting center at the SONAPI industrial park, and the OCID has opened its doors to political parties ahead of the coming elections. The revisions come as Haitian authorities work toward holding elections after a prolonged period without an electoral timetable.