Solidarity of Haitian Women - SOFA

Solidarity of Haitian Women - SOFA

Council of National Electoral Observers - CNO

Council of Non-State Haitian Actors - CONHANE

National Human Rights Defense Network - RNDDH

Center for Research and Analysis of Human Rights - CARDH

Platform of Haitian Human Rights Organizations - POHDH

1. Positive Points

1. Regarding the quality of electoral materials

The only similarity to earlier materials were ballot boxes. The other electoral materials made available to the population by the CEP on the day of the vote were different:

• The voting booths were of better quality, ensured voting secrecy and allowed voters to cast their votes in dignity.

• The voters, after voting, were asked to dip their thumbs in small bottle of indelible ink which was of good quality and difficult to remove.

• The ballots had different colors than those used last year.

1. Regarding the availability of electoral materials

Generally speaking, electoral materials were available.

In addition, the CEP assured the transporation of electoral materials to voting venters located in remote areas, with the means available. In some areas, people were asked to carry the materials themselves, while in others, the materials were transported by donkey.

In general, delivery of electoral materials were completed.

1. Regarding the installation of polling centers

At least 76% of the Polling Centers were installed where they were needed.

1. Regarding the security of the vote

At dawn, agents of the Haitian National Police (PNH) were present on the streets. They secured the vote, by increasing vehicle and motorcycle searches in areas considered red zones. In certain area where mega Polling Centers were located, PNH were all over to control voter crowds and approaching vehicles. In other places where there were no walls enclosing the space, string was used to delimit the space of the Polling Centers.

Agents of the PNH‘s special forces, such as the Motorized Intervention Brigade (BIM), the Intervention Force for the Maintenance of Order (CIMO), the Departmental Unit for the Maintenance of Order (UDMO), the Fire Brigade, the SWAT Team, and administrative agents were noticed inside and outside of the Polling Centers.

This increased presence of PNH allowed for interventions during the day to proceed without serious incident, such as inMilot and Grande Rivière du Nord.

In several of the country’s deparments, agents of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) were noticed.

The Electoral Security Officers (ASE) were present within the Polling Centers.

1. Regarding the members of the polling stations

The electoral personnel, including ASE, the Superivisors of the Polling Centers, and the members of the Polling Station were well trained.

The CEP took into account women’s participation within the Polling Stations. The Coalition estimates that 40% of the members of the Polling Stations were women.

The CEP provided a Reserve Member of the Polling Station who were called upon to replace another member of the station, for whatever reason, if others could not be present on election day.

1. Negative Points

1. Regarding the installation of polling stations

The Coalition has identified the cases of several Polling Centers which for various reasons, were relocated at the last minute. For example :

• In Jérémie, Grand’Anse Department, two (2) Polling Centers Lycée Nord Alexisand theLycée des Jeunes Filleshousing forty-four (44) polling stations, for an electoral population estimated at more than twenty five thousand (25,000) people had to be relocated at the last minute due to the fact that the victims of Hurricane Matthew who had sought refuge did not leave the school. The CEP had decided to relocate these Polling Centers to the Administrative Complex and to Ecole Sainte Thérèse, respectively.

• In Les Cayes, South Department, the Polling Center at Lycée Claudy Museauwas relocated to Ecole Communautaire Jean Paul II, for the same reason.

• InAnse-à-Foleur, Northwest Department, the Polling Center located at Ecole Justin Lhérisson, was relocated toEcole Evangélique Baptiste Béthanie, due to construction

• In Miragoane, Nippes Department, the Polling Center located atEcole du Sacré Cœur was relocated at the last minute, for the environment of school was inappropriate.It was relocated to Lycée Jacques Prevert.

In each case, many voters chose to return home rather than to go to the relocated Polling Center.

1. Regarding communication

The CEP provided telephone numbers for voters to call to find their Polling Stations. However, the lines did not work well on election day.

In the Grand’Anse Department, which was severely affected by Hurricane Matthew, many voters arrived with their lost card forms issued by the National Office of Identification (ONI). They had thought they could vote with these forms and were shocked when refused by members of Polling Stations.

1. Regarding the opening and closing of polling stations

About 75% of the Polling Centerswere operational between six (6) and seven (7) o’clock in the morning. However, it should be noted that 95% of the Polling Centers respected the closing time.

1. Regarding the transport of electoral materials

Certain irregularities related to electoral materials have attracted the attention of the Coalition:

• On November 19, 2016, late in the evening, the electoral materials destined for the Polling Center located in Ravine à Charles, Didon, Grand Anse Department, were still in the rain at the Polling Center at Ecole Nationale de Marfranc;

• In the two (2) communes, Roseau andVallières, located in the Grand Anse Department, the electoral materials were not delivered.

1. Regarding errors recorded with electoral materials

At least one mistake was made in the printing of the ballots. The photograph of the candidate for deputy in Arcahaie, Joseph Lucien Jura, was printed on the ballots for deputy in Jérémie.

1. Regarding general voting conduct

The members of Polling Stations were better trained and seemed to understand better what they were called upon to perform. However, in some places, they were slow in their tasks because they took too long to count ballots and locate voter names on the electoral lists.

In addition, in other places, certain members of the Polling Stations were not vigilant causing irregularities. For example:

• InOuanaminthe, one voter voted in place of his brother.

• In Jérémie, at least one voter inadvertently signed in the place of another because their first and last names were similar. The error was only realized when the second voter came to vote.

• InCap-Haïtien, a voter presented his National Identification Card (CIN) and was authorized to vote. After casting his votes, members of the Polling Station could not locate the card.

• In Ennery, Proxies signed minutes in the space reserved for Observers.

Other irregularities and incidents that also attracted the attention of the Coalition:

• Many voters found their names on the posted Partial Electoral List (ELP) but did not find them on the electoral lists outside their assigned Polling stations.

• In some places, the Partial Electoral List was consolidiated and displayed outside of one single station causing a huge uproar and discouraging voters who had difficulty finding their names.

• A few voters, particularly in the Nippes, did not want to dip their fingers in the ink. At least two (2) of them tried to vote several times but were prevented by the members of the Polling Station who noticed that they had already signed the list of signatures.

• Supporters and sympathizers of political parties Fanmi Lavalas, Haitian Party Bald Head (PHTK), Alternative League for Progress and Haitian Emancipation (LAPEH), Shield or Bouclier, campaigned atPolling Centers, as well as around Polling Stations, thus attempting to influence the vote.

• In the Northeast in various Polling Stations, declaring a votewas used as an electoral campaigning instrument.

• At the First Communal Section of La Chapelle, a crime was perpetrated by a woman from the area exhibting signs of mental instability. She had sought refuges in the Martineau Polling Center where the police found her and took her in. But before the police were able to do so, she had time to hurt a young man with a machete who had sought to block her way. This young man was seriously wounded,and was being treated at the hospital.

• A Vertières, Cap-Haïtien, atPolling CenterEcole Saint François de Salles de Don Bosco,completed Presdiential and Senatorial ballots in favor of PHTK were discovered the day after the vote.

1. Regarding voter participation

Voters were not up for the engagement. The participation rate was very low. 21.69% is the estimate by the Coalition.

Members of the Polling Stations, some proxies of political parties, many PNH agents and national observers were unable to vote because the Complementary Electoral List (LEC) appears to have either not been forwarded by the CEP or not properly handled by members of the Polling Stations.

1. Conclusion

According to the preliminary observations of the Coalition, the vote of November 20, 2016 proceeded without any major suprises.

• The electoral materials were of good quality and available on time.

• At least 76% of the Polling Centers were installed in predetermined locations.

• If the opening hours of the Polling Centers and Polling Stations were not respected, this did not seem to have a direct impact on voter participation.

• PNH was deployed throughout the national territory and intervened in cases where requested.

• Electoral staff provided acceptable work and women were 40% of the staff in general and particularly at the Polling Centers.

• Of the few irregularities and incidents noted, several are not attributable to the CEP.However, the Coalition would like to note that:

• A number of voters were not unable to vote because they were unable to find their names on electoral lists.

• PNH agents, proxies, and members of the Polling Centers were not entitled to vote either because of the unavailablility of the Complementary Electoral List or because of the mishandling of the Complementary Electoral List.

• A serious error was seen in the printing of the ballots. The photograph of the candidate for Deputy of Arcahaie, Joseph Lucien JURA, registered under the banner of the political party PHTK, was printed among the candidates for deputy in Jérémie.

• In some Polling Centers, supporters and sympathizers of candidates, some proxies of political parties, including the PHTK, Fanmi Lavalas, LAPEH and Bouclier, exhibited excessive zeal in trying to influence the vote and campaigning on election day.

The Coalition therefore believes that the CEP has met the challenge of holding elections on November 20, 2016, an acceptable election because decisions were made to ensure everyone’s participation in security. However, the Coalition considers it the duty of the CEP to continue to work in a transparent and respectful manner of the rights of candidates and citizens throughout the process leading to the announcement of the final results.

The Coalition therefore recommends that the CEP request candidates to refrain from publishing results that may significantly affect the ongoing process, as it is important that the Vote Tabulation Center be able to do their work in peace.

Port-au-Prince, November 21, 2016

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Observations préliminaires de la Coalition sur l'organisation

et la réalisation du scrutin du 20 novembre 2016 1