Kazakhstan holds first elections to new unicameral parliament, the Kurultaj
Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; 107 stations opened earlier including 79 at diplomatic missions in 61 countries.
Voting opened across Kazakhstan for the country's first elections to the new unicameral parliament, the Kurultaj.
Polling stations began operating at 7:00 a.m. local time and will remain open until 8:00 p.m. A total of 107 polling sites opened one hour earlier than the national start time; of those, 79 were located inside Kazakhstan’s diplomatic missions in 61 countries.
More than 12.6 million registered voters are eligible to choose 145 deputies who will sit in the Kurultaj. Candidates on ballots represent seven political parties.
International presence at the polls is significant: 777 international observers from 42 countries and 13 international organizations are monitoring the vote, including 138 parliamentarians from 41 countries.
Constitutional changes prompted early vote
The early elections follow adoption of a new constitution in a referendum held in March, which abolished the Senate as the upper chamber and replaced the previous bicameral system with a single-chamber parliament — the Kurultaj.
Authorities set the closing time at 8:00 p.m. local time; results will be compiled and announced after polling stations conclude their work and counting proceeds.
Photo: press material from the event
