Haiti’s Election Chief sets date for election run off

PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, Jan. 6, CMC – Head of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), Pierre-Louis Opont says the date for the presidential and legislative runoff votes will be January 24.

Following a meeting late Tuesday with other members of the CEP, Opont, in a letter to President Michel Martellly said he can “guarantee” that the council will be able to organise the final election round, a week later.

This anonouncement follows uncertainty that was voiced by the CEP in a letter that was sent to Martley on Monday.
In that letter the CEP said more time was needed to organise the runoffs and 12 days of preparation “will not be sufficient”.

Last week, Martelly announced that the elections council had warned that the runoffs must be held by January 17 at the latest to fulfill the constitutional mandate of inaugurating a new president February 7.

The run-off was scheduled to take place two weeks ago, but was jettisoned after opposition factions alleged fraud during the first round in October.