2016 Haiti presidential and parliamentary polls Sunday November 20,2016

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, is holding much-anticipated presidential and parliamentary polls on Sunday November 20,2016

Six million Haitians were eligible to vote for one of 27 presidential candidates, as well as for members of both houses of parliament.

They come more than a year after a first attempt to hold the presidential ballot ended without a run-off round

The October 2015 presidential election was won by Jovenel Moise but opposition challenger Jude Celestin called foul and, after violent unrest, the ballot was annulled and a new election called.

It should have been held on October 09,2016 but was postponed after Hurricane Matthew devastated parts of the country.

A second round is due in January if no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote.

Also on Sunday Nov 20,2016, Haitians will vote in the second round of parliamentary elections - the first was held in August of last year.

Jocelerme Privert was named as interim president by parliament in February 2016 to fill the power vacuum after the imcumbent Michel Martelly stepped down at the end of his term

Presidential Candidates

• Banana exporter Jovenel Moise, from the centre-right Haitian Tet Kale Party, who has the support of Mr Martelly and won the first round last year with almost 32% of the vote

• Jude Celestin, from the Alternative League for Haitian Progress and Emancipation, who came second last year with 25% and is backed by a coalition of parties

• Jean-Charles Moise, who is running for the progressive Platform Pitit Dessalin, and came third in 2015 with 14% of the vote

• Maryse Narcisse, from the left-wing Fanmi Lavalas party, who came fourth in last year's election and is backed by Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Haiti's first democratically elected president

• Jean-Henri Ceant of the Remen Ayiti party and Edmonde Supplice Beauzile of the Fusion Party of Haitian Social Democrats

The top two finishers Sunday will face off January 29, with the winner to be sworn into office for a five-year term eight days later.


The vote went off relatively smoothly Sunday after an annulled election in October and Hurricane Matthew’s serious damage in the Caribbean nation last month

Vote counting has begun in Haiti's repeatedly derailed presidential election.No official results were expected to be issued for eight days, and Provisional Electoral Council executive director Uder Antoine has said it might take longer than that.