In November 28, 2010 the population of Haiti will choose the 99 members of the Lower Chamber; 13 senators, and the President of the Republic of Haiti.

To be a Haitian Citizen and be more than 18 years old.

The vote is universal, free, direct, secret and personal.

Haiti is a Republic with a semi-parliamentary political regime. The President of Haiti is head of state elected directly every five years as stated in the Constitution of 1987. The Prime Minister acts as head of government and is appointed by the President, chosen from the majority party in the National Assembly. Executive power is exercised by the President and Prime Minister who together constitute the government.

Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the National Assembly of Haiti. The Lower Chamber is composed of 99 seats elected by circumscriptions defined in the electoral Law. The Senate is composed by 30 seats, 3 seats for each of the departments. The National Assembly has the power to issue a vote of no confidence to the Prime Minister and his cabinet which results in its removal.

The Haitian Constitution provides for an independent judiciary.  At the lowest level of the justice system, the justices of the peace issue warrants, adjudicate minor infractions, mediate cases, take depositions, and refer cases to prosecutors or higher judicial officials.  Investigating magistrates and public prosecutors cooperate in the development of more serious cases, which are tried by the judges of the first instance courts. Appeals court judges hear cases referred from the first instance courts, and the Supreme Court deals with questions of procedure and constitutionality.

Haiti has a multiparty system. The political parties system is fragmented, circumstantial and therefore fragile. There is no legal framework for the functioning of political parties, and the only disposition for their existence is article 31 of the Constitution which states freedom of association for political purposes.  

68 political parties are running in the current electoral process. Two opposition political parties will not participate in the electoral run: Alternative, the social – democrat platform, and Fanmi Lavalas (President Jean Bertrand Aristides’ party) which did not sign in for the presidential run and was excluded from the legislative run.

Haiti is a country in the Antilles, located in the occidental side of the Hispaniola Island, limited by the North with the Atlantic Ocean, and Southwest with the Caribbean Sea and to the East by Dominican Republic.  The Islands of La Gonave, Tortuga, Vaches and the archipelago of Cayemites a part of its territory.  Haiti has 27,750 square km, the population is approximately 10.033.000 based on the most recent information in 2009, given that the earthquake of 12th of January 2010 caused around 300,000 deaths.  The capital and principal city is Port-au-Prince, which was severely damaged by the earthquake.  Haiti is one of the poorest if not the poorest country in the western hemisphere.