CEP president urges Haiti's first-time voters to register and reject pressure at BINUH event

The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) took part on Friday, November 6, 2026, in a day for young people about to vote for the first time, held at the Karibe Hotel, according to HaitiLibre. The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) organized it. Its stated aim was to help young people understand how elections work and to encourage them, young women in particular, to take part in the country's democratic life. The event ran under the quoted theme "First-time voters : understanding the electoral process and its stakeholders."

What the CEP president told participants

Peterson Pierre-Louis, President of the CEP, described turning 18 as a major step in a citizen's life, because it brings the right to vote. He urged young people to play an active part by choosing freely and with full information, without pressure or transactional politics. He also stressed three points: registering on the electoral roll, the key dates of the electoral calendar, and the ways of engaging in the process.

Obstacles for young people

Wilfince Mombrun, Director General at the Ministry of Youth, spoke of the many difficulties Haitian youth face. In his view, security problems are not the only barrier to participation by young people and first-time voters. Structural obstacles also weigh on it, chiefly a lack of knowledge and information about the electoral process.

Éveline Bien-Aimé François, who represented the Ministry on the Status of Women, called for more encouragement for young people, young women above all, to join political and democratic life. She said outreach to get young people onto the electoral roll must continue.

Forum and simulation

The programme included a forum for discussion and debate, led by experienced and qualified young women. It dealt with the barriers to participation in political and public life by young people, especially young women.

The CEP also ran a simulation of voter registration and voting. Jean Marie Rémy, Director of the Electoral Registry, presented mobile registration as a new way of registering voters. He said it is currently being put in place.