If Tardieu wants a national discussion about diaspora voting, Haiti Politic believes that discussion should go beyond asking the CEP where ballot boxes will be located.

Here are the questions we would put directly to him:

  1. Mr. Tardieu, exactly which Haitians abroad should be permitted to vote—Haitian citizens only, dual nationals, former Haitian nationals, or descendants of Haitians born overseas?
  2. What documentary evidence should establish eligibility: CIN, Haitian passport, NINU, birth certificate, or some combination?
  3. Should an overseas Haitian be required to demonstrate a continuing legal connection with Haiti before registering?
  4. Should diaspora voting initially apply only to presidential elections, or also to legislative and local elections?
  5. If diaspora citizens vote for Parliament, which constituency represents them?
  6. Do you support creating dedicated diaspora seats in the Chamber of Deputies or Senate? If so, how many and according to what population formula?
  7. Should someone who has lived abroad for 20 or 30 years have exactly the same electoral influence over municipal or departmental government as someone currently residing there?
  8. Where should overseas voting occur—consulates, embassies, independent CEP centers, community organizations, postal voting or electronic voting?
  9. Who should control overseas polling places: the CEP or Haitian diplomatic missions?
  10. How would you prevent Haitian diplomatic personnel appointed by the government from influencing an election conducted inside diplomatic facilities?
  11. How should overseas voter lists be audited for duplicate registrations between Haiti and foreign jurisdictions?
  12. Would diaspora voters be required to possess a valid NINU, given the identification procedures embedded in the electoral framework?
  13. How would recounts work in Miami, Boston, New York, Montreal, Paris, Santiago or Santo Domingo?
  14. Where would an overseas voter file an electoral complaint?
  15. Would Haitian electoral tribunals have jurisdiction over disputes arising from polling centers physically located in foreign countries?
  16. Who pays for overseas elections?
  17. What is your estimated cost of implementing diaspora voting?
  18. How should Haitian law regulate political fundraising conducted abroad?
  19. Should Haitian political parties be permitted to receive money from diaspora organizations incorporated under foreign law?
  20. What safeguards would prevent foreign citizens, corporations or governments from indirectly financing Haitian campaigns through diaspora organizations?
  21. Do you support allowing dual nationals to serve in Parliament?
  22. Do you support allowing dual nationals to become Prime Minister?
  23. Do you support allowing a dual national to become President of Haiti?
  24. If your answer differs among those offices, what constitutional principle explains the distinction?
  25. Should candidates for Haiti’s highest offices face a minimum Haitian residency requirement immediately before an election?
  26. If so, how long?
  27. What constitutional changes concerning nationality, residency, eligibility and diaspora representation do you personally support?
  28. Which provisions do you oppose?
  29. Would you support submitting major changes to diaspora political rights to a transparent national constitutional process rather than attaching them to transitional political arrangements?
  30. Finally: are you advocating simply for the diaspora’s right to vote—or for a broader restructuring of political power between Haitians living inside Haiti and Haitians living abroad?

That last question may be the most important.