Haiti launches voter registration in capital despite gang-controlled streets

On Thursday, Haiti began enrolling voters at ten registration centers in Port-au-Prince’s safer districts, marking the first step toward a general election slated for Dec 13. Citizens such as construction worker Vadley Bernadel expressed hope of finally casting a ballot, while many remain skeptical due to the country’s ongoing crisis and the fact that no president has been in office since Jovenel Moïse’s 2021 killing. Armed gangs now dominate roughly 70 % of the capital and the main routes to the Central and Artibonite regions, where more than half of the electorate resides, raising doubts about widespread participation.

International Crisis Group analyst Diego Da Rin warned that proceeding with the election could leave a large share of voters disenfranchised, and noted limited progress despite recent police and U.N. mission gains. Provisional Electoral Council president Jacques Desrosiers said additional centers, including twenty in Pétion-Ville, will open in coming weeks, though final decisions rest with the government. Critics like lawyer Francky Cavetan argue security must be secured before elections, citing the high death toll and rampant gender-based violence.