Kazakhstan's first Qurultay elections begin
Kazakhstan's first-ever elections for deputies of the country's new unicameral Qurultay began on August 23. Polling stations opened across the country, with voting set to continue until 8:00 p.m. What voters need to know, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
All polling stations across Kazakhstan have opened for voting. They will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Meanwhile, 107 polling stations opened an hour earlier, at 6:00 a.m. Of these, 79 are located abroad at Kazakhstan's diplomatic missions in 61 countries. Polling stations in Japan and South Korea were among those that opened at 3:00 a.m. Astana time.
The last polling station to open will be the one at the Consulate General of Kazakhstan in San Francisco, which will open at 7:00 p.m. Astana time.
At the same time, at some polling stations, including those located at military units, continuously operating industrial facilities, shift workers' settlements, holiday resorts, sanatoriums, hospitals and other facilities, the precinct election commission may declare voting completed at any time if all voters included on the electoral roll have cast their ballots.
Kazakhstanis will vote for one of seven political parties participating in the elections. Following the vote, seats in the Qurultay will be distributed among the parties that surpass the legally established threshold.
The ballot paper lists the names of the political parties in the order determined by a random draw, as well as a "None of the above" option. Seven parties are participating in the elections, each of which has nominated its candidates.
On election day, voters are prohibited from taking photos or videos of completed ballots or publishing such materials. Election campaigning is also prohibited.
Opinion polls related to the elections cannot be conducted inside polling stations or voting premises on election day. The publication of election poll results in the media and online is also prohibited.
A total of 777 foreign observers representing 42 countries and 13 international organizations will monitor the voting process. They include 138 members of parliament from 41 countries.
How many Kazakhstanis can vote in the Qurultay elections
More than 12.6 million Kazakhstanis are eligible to take part in the vote. The largest number of registered voters are in Astana and Almaty cities, as well as Almaty and Turkistan regions.
An online service has been launched on the GOV.KZ platform to help voters find the number and address of their polling station. Three platforms are available for the convenience of citizens. By following any of the links provided, voters can select their region, enter their Individual Identification Number (IIN), and find out their polling station number and address.
· https://www.gov.kz/sailau?lang=en
· https://sailau2026.gov.kz/kz
In addition, the online service for finding a polling station is available through the eGovMobile app under "Popular Services."
The services are also accessible by scanning QR codes.
Voters who will be outside their registered place of residence on election day can vote at another polling station if they obtained an absentee voting certificate by 6:00 p.m. on August 22.
If a citizen does not have a registered place of residence, they can obtain temporary registration for one day directly on election day. To do so, they need to contact Public Service Centers, whose staff will be working at 221 polling stations.
Citizens can also check whether they have a registered place of residence directly at the polling station.
Kazakhstanis to elect Qurultay deputies for the first time
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev first proposed transitioning to a unicameral representative body on September 8, 2025, in his Address to the Nation. At the time, the Head of State described the reform as a logical continuation of previous political transformations, including the reform of the presidency.
The transition to a unicameral Qurultay was provided for in the new Constitution, which Kazakhstanis approved in a nationwide referendum on March 15, 2026.
The new Constitution came into force on July 1, 2026. The bicameral Parliament, consisting of the Senate and the Mazhilis, ceased to exercise its powers, and the Qurultay became the country's new supreme representative body exercising legislative power. On the same day, the President set August 23 as the date for the first elections of Qurultay deputies.
The first composition of the Qurultay will be formed following the vote. It will consist of 145 deputies elected from party lists in a single nationwide constituency for a five-year term.
