ALMATY – Election campaigning officially began in Kazakhstan at 6:01 p.m. on July 23 ahead of the Aug. 23 elections to the Kurultai, with seven political parties competing for 145 seats in the representative body.
Speaking at the CEC’s latest meeting on July 23, members highlighted the rules of the election campaign’s process. Photo credit: CEC.
The campaign will run until midnight on Aug. 21, while Aug. 22 has been designated as the official day of silence before voting, the Central Election Commission’s press service reported.
The launch of the campaign follows the commission’s completion of party list registration, which registered 545 candidates nominated by the seven eligible political parties. Women, youth and persons with disabilities account for 43.9% of all candidates, exceeding the legal quota. The candidate list includes 172 women, 19 persons with disabilities, and 74 candidates under the age of 35, with an average candidate age of 45.4 years.
CEC accredits more international observers
Speaking at the CEC’s latest meeting on July 23, Deputy CEC Chairman Mukhtar Yerman said the commission has accredited 86 international observers representing 12 countries and five international organizations. The accreditation process, conducted in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry, will continue until Aug. 17.
The latest nominations include observers from Moldova, Albania, Armenia, Kuwait, Palestine and the International Parliamentarians Congress.
The CEC meeting brought together representatives of political parties, government agencies, the media and international observers, while regional election commissions and local authorities participated via videoconference.
More than 8,000 campaign sites prepared
According to local executive bodies, more than 8,000 locations have been prepared nationwide for campaign materials, while nearly 4,500 venues have been designated for meetings with voters.
CEC Chairman Nurlan Abdirov urged regional authorities to prepare additional reserve locations, particularly in major cities and densely populated regions, to ensure equal campaigning opportunities for all parties.
“Given the high level of competition and activity demonstrated during the nomination and registration stages of this campaign, local authorities should not limit themselves to the existing number of campaign sites and meeting venues but also provide a reasonable reserve,” he said.
CEC member Lyazzat Suyindik reminded political parties of several amendments to election legislation introduced for the current campaign. Among the new provisions is a ban on photographing or filming completed ballots and sharing such images on election day, a measure intended to protect the secrecy of the vote and ensure voters can make independent choices. The updated legislation also prohibits the use of campaign materials produced for previous election campaigns.
The elections for Kazakhstan’s Kurultai are scheduled for Aug. 23.
