CEP BYLAWS REQUIRE ABSOLUTE MAJORITY TO APPROVE VOTE: MEANS 5 YES VOTES REQUIRED: THERE WERE ONLY 4

Human Rights Group Notes that Haiti’s Elec­toral Coun­cil Did Not Approve Run-off Elections

February 7, 2011

WASHINGTON, DC – The Insti­tute for Jus­tice & Democ­racy in Haiti (IJDH) notes that despite reports to the con­trary, Haiti’s Pro­vi­sional Elec­toral Coun­cil (CEP) has not approved a run-off elec­tion between can­di­dates Michel Martelly and Mir­lande Mani­gat. Although CEP spokesman Richard­son Dumel announced such a runoff on Feb­ru­ary 3,CEP mem­ber Ginette Chéru­bin stated that only four of the CEP’s eight mem­bers approved the first round of elec­tions in writ­ing. Haiti’s largest daily news­pa­per, Le Nou­vel­liste, has con­firmed that four of the eight Coun­cil mem­bers did not approve the run-off decision.

Arti­cle 8 of the CEP’s bylaws requires that the Councils deci­sions be made by an “absolute major­ity of its mem­bers.” There­fore, a valid deci­sion regard­ing the run-off would require five votes.

IJDH notes that the cur­rent run-off con­tro­versy is the result of try­ing to cre­ate a “good”result from the deeply flawed Novem­ber 28 elec­tions in Haiti. IJDH sup­ports the efforts of many Hait­ian civil soci­ety groups and polit­i­cal par­ties, joined by the Con­gres­sional Black Cau­cus and sev­eral U.S. human rights groups in call­ing for new, inclu­sive elec­tions as the only prac­ti­cal solu­tion to Haiti’s elec­tion crisis

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1 thought on “CEP BYLAWS REQUIRE ABSOLUTE MAJORITY TO APPROVE VOTE: MEANS 5 YES VOTES REQUIRED: THERE WERE ONLY 4

  1. Those who proclaim themselves to be constitutionalist or democrat should gracefully read again Article 8 of the CEP.Isnt it time to say no to the outside forces interferring in the affair of our nation. We are and will always remain a proud nation despite their ingerence.
    p.s pass along a copy of the bylaws of the CEP to those in doubt.

    TRANSPARENCY IS A PILAR OF DEMOCRACY

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