People walk through the streets of a market as tensions over the current Haitian presidents nationality spark unrest in the capital on March 7, 2012 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Haitian President Michel Martelly is trying to quell rumors over his nationality after he was accused of not being a Haitian citizen. At a nationally televised news conference on Thursday, the president showed reporters his blue Haitian passport and U.S. ambassador to Haiti Kenneth Merten stated that Martelly is not a U.S. citizen. Two years after the 7.0 magnitude quake that killed an estimated 316,000 people, much of Haiti is still in a crisis situation with tens of thousands living in tent camps in and around Port-au-Prince. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The Haitian government is promising to hold legislative and local elections before the end of the year.
Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe said at a Tuesday news conference in Washington, D.C., that the vote will require about $60 million to become a reality.
The election seeks to fill 10 seats in the 30-member Senate. The terms of those seats expired in May because elections weren’t held in time.
The race will include posts for mayors throughout the country.
Haitian President Michel Martelly announced last month the creation of a permanent election panel to oversee the vote. He named a director to the nine-member body, but the other seats have yet to be filled.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
