Haitians are voting in legislative elections that have been repeatedly delayed since 2011, in a test of stability for the impoverished nation.
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The run-off round will be held on October 25 – the same day as the presidential election.
Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world, and is still struggling with the legacy of the devastating 2010 quake.
Men and women who are unlikely to turn out at the polling stations when they open at 6 am are nonetheless likely to tune in as the elections unfold to find out whether the streets are safe. Polling stations across Haiti will close at 0200 AEST on Monday.
Several people have been killed since campaigning for Sunday’s poll opened in July. Results were not expected immediately.
“These long-awaited elections constitute a major milestone for democracy in Haiti”, he said through his spokesman.
Early this year, the Haitian Electoral Council has formally proposed that elections for two-thirds of the senate and the chamber of deputies will be conducted on August 9, with the presidential and municipal vote to be held on October. 25.
Parliament was dissolved on January 13, 2015 after lawmakers’ terms were not extended, and legislative chambers have remained empty for months.
The abundance of seats has generated a crowded field with 128 registered political parties and no fewer than 1,855 candidates running for 139 spots.
Some lower house seats, particularly in Port-au-Prince, have as many as 30 candidates in the fray.
“It’s not acceptable, they want to steal the election”.
Campaigning was marred by partisan violence.
The organisation recorded nine armed clashes, five murders, two attempted murders, seven people wounded by guns, two stabbings, 17 injured from stones “and 10 cases of beatings”.
On Saturday, police arrested some 20 people in central Haiti for possession of illegal arms.
This is the first round of the elections for a new parliament with more than 2,000 candidates.
But turnout is not expected to top 15 percent, according to pre-election surveys.
Haiti, a country of 10 million people that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, has more than 58 per cent of its population living under the poverty line.
Sunday is only the first of 3 polling days before the end of 2015.
Between now and then, Haiti will elect almost all of its political personnel: deputies, senators, mayors, local officials and a president.
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If all goes according to schedule, elected parliamentarians would take office on January 11, 2016.
