Haiti Passes an Election Test, Barely Breaking Cycle of Corruption, Dictatorships, Vote Paves Way for Presidential Elections

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WORKING by candlelight around the clock under chaotic conditions, Haiti's small army of ballot counters is building a picture of democracy, vote by vote.

Last Sunday's parliamentary, municipal, and local elections - the first since democracy was restored last October - have sent a signal to the world that Haiti has successfully broken with a tradition of corruption and dictatorships. And it paves the way for the presidential elections, due in December.

While results straggle in from distant countryside polling places, a stand-off on their legitimacy is developing between political parties and the official electoral board.

The Provisional Electoral Council …