Citizens of Haiti will have to wait to see who will be the country’s next leader as the release of preliminary results of that country’s presidential runoff election has been postponed due to fraud in the voting process.
The Provisional Election Council said, “A high level of fraud irregularities of various kinds has been detected in the tabulation of votes.” Preliminary results of the March 20 runoff election were supposed to be announced on March 31, but were postponed until April 4. Final results are not expected until April 16.
However, the leader of an election observer mission from the Organization of American States, Colin Granderson, said the delay was also due to a much higher turnout, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The election results come as the troubled Caribbean country continues its recovery from a devastation earthquake in January 2010.
The first election in November saw government-backed candidate Jude Celestin finish second behind former First Lady Mirlande Manigat. Claims of vote-rigging and other irregularities spurred a review of the results, which disqualified Celestin and began a runoff between musician Michel Martelly and Manigat.
Voting in the runoff election proceeded smoothly in most areas of the county, according to AFP News, though authorities said two people were reported killed in election-related violence. The November election took place amid widespread violence and at least five people were killed when the results were announced in December, AFP reported.
Former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide arrived in Haiti two days before the run-off, but he did not endorse a candidate and his presence did not appear to disrupt the election process, according to CNN.