Over 70% of Kazakhstanis ready to cast ballots in Qurultay elections – poll
Almaty is hosting a meeting of the expert platform "Elections 2026: The Character of the Political Campaign," Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to official data, 545 candidates from seven political parties have been registered, averaging 3.7 per seat. Among the candidates are 172 women (31.5%), 74 young people (13.5%), and 19 persons with disabilities (3.5%). The average age of candidates is 45.4 years.
Sociologists presented findings on Kazakhstan's voter behavior, tracking voter readiness from July 13–27 through six surveys. It found that between 72% and 75% of respondents said they were ready to participate – roughly 7 in 10 citizens. 89.4% of those surveyed are aware of the upcoming Qurultay elections. Awareness is reported to be higher in rural areas than in cities.
Furthermore, sociologists compiled a profile of likely voters. The most active group is citizens aged 46–60. Women are about 5 percentage points more likely to turn out to vote than men. Citizens with higher or incomplete higher education are more likely to participate.
The poll also shed light on the factors affecting party preference. Among those ready to vote for a specific party, 44.4% approve of the party's initiatives, 29.2% are consistent supporters, 25.3% believe Kazakhstan's future hinges on the party's policies, and 14.7% positively assess the party's work with voters.
Expert Yerlan Smailov told Qazinform News Agency that one of the key trends in the campaign is the active use of digital technologies by almost all parties.
"The course toward digitalization and artificial intelligence set out by the Head of State, supported by policy documents and legislation, is reflected in the parties' election agendas. Some parties have included AI integration across all areas of governance and social services in their election platforms, while others mention AI more narrowly – in the context of digital sovereignty, protecting citizens' digital rights, or sector-specific applications. One way or another, AI is mentioned in the election agenda," Smailov said.
Earlier, live pre-election debates featuring representatives from all seven political parties were held on Jibek Joly TV Channel.
On July 1, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev decreed that elections to the Qurultay of the Republic of Kazakhstan would be held on August 23, 2026. The Central Election Commission approved the calendar plan for the preparation and conduct of the elections, as well as the list of political parties eligible to participate in the elections.
