Haiti's Third Electoral Decree Revision Eases Candidate Vetting, Delays Registration

Haiti's Prime Minister's Office introduced a third revision of the electoral decree on October 6, 2026, amending earlier versions dated June 2 and July 2, 2026, according to HaitiLibre. The revision eliminates several administrative, financial and legal 'safeguards' originally designed to vet candidates. Paragraphs 20 and 21 of Article 153 were removed, ending requirements for a Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) certificate proving a candidate was not insolvent or banned from issuing checks, and for certificates from the ONA and FDI attesting to no outstanding loans. The deleted paragraph 20 had also barred individuals sanctioned by the UN Security Council, the US Treasury's OFAC or foreign governments. HaitiLibre reports that political actors under international sanctions or in financial disputes with the State may now register freely, and that the UN and analysts warned the country is weakening defenses against criminal capital. Other changes replace a police-record certificate with an asset declaration, eliminate a 2% quota for persons with disabilities in the Electoral Office, and extend the CEP's reporting deadline from 15 to 30 days. Registration fees were reduced across all levels, including the Senate (400,000 HTG, down from 800,000). Registration is postponed to October 31, 2026, while elections and a referendum previously set for December 13, 2026 remain unconfirmed. Article 76, requiring tax compliance with the DGI, remains but with diminished scope.