ASTANA – Kazakhstan will hold a nationwide referendum on a new Constitution on March 15, with more than 12.4 million citizens eligible to vote and 20.8 billion tenge (US$42 million) earmarked for organizing the process.
Photo credit: gov.kz
Preparation and conduct of the referendum have been entrusted to the Central Election Commission (CEC), which will function as the Central Referendum Commission, along with territorial and precinct election commissions.
The campaign period spans 32 days and will conclude at midnight on March 14, which has been declared a day of silence when all campaigning is prohibited.
The composition of territorial and precinct commissions, along with the boundaries of referendum precincts, will be published on Feb. 21. A day later, commissions will receive lists of citizens eligible to participate. Voters will be informed of the time and location of voting on Feb. 27. Ballots will be delivered to polling stations, including those abroad, between March 12 and March 14, reported CEC on Feb. 12.
According to the Central Referendum Commission, 12,416,759 citizens are eligible to participate in the vote. A total of 10,413 polling stations will operate nationwide, including 9,779 at citizens’ places of registration, 634 at temporary residence locations and 82 abroad in 64 countries.
Campaigning is permitted through the media, public meetings and assemblies held in accordance with national legislation, and the distribution of printed materials.
However, anonymous campaign materials are prohibited. Producing or distributing materials without identifying the customer or manufacturer, or printing them outside Kazakhstan, carries a fine of 25 monthly calculation indices, MCI, (108,125 tenge or US$218).
Campaigning that promotes violent constitutional change, undermines state security or incites social, racial, national or religious discord is also banned. Violations of campaigning rules on the day of silence or referendum day are punishable by fines ranging from 15 MCI (64,875 tenge or US$130) to 35 MCI (151,375 tenge or US$305).
The preliminary cost of the referendum is estimated at 20.8 billion tenge (US$42 million), according to commission member Mikhail Bortnik. Around 75% of the funds will be allocated to remuneration for precinct commission members. The estimate is currently under review by the Ministry of Finance, and the final amount will be confirmed soon. As the expenses were not included in the 2026 national budget, funding will be drawn from the government reserve.
Chairman of Central Referendum Commission Nurlan Abdirov called on citizens to take part in the vote, emphasizing that inclusion on the voter list guarantees the constitutional right to participate. A revised draft of the Constitution, incorporating feedback from citizens and experts, was published on Feb. 12 and is available for public review ahead of the referendum.
