Polls close in Kazakhstan as Referendum moves to vote count
Voting in the referendum on the draft of a new Constitution has concluded in Kazakhstan. At 8:00 PM Astana time (UTC+5), all polling stations across the country closed, and election commissions started counting the ballots. Preliminary turnout data is expected to be released shortly, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The referendum on the proposed draft of the Constitution marks a significant political milestone for Kazakhstan. Citizens were asked to voice their opinions on key changes to the country’s Supreme Law, addressing state governance, civil rights and freedoms, and other vital aspects of public life.
Although voting has finished in Kazakhstan, the process continues at polling stations located abroad. During a briefing at the Central Communications Service, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issetov announced that 64 international polling stations will complete operations by midnight on March 15. These stations are located in various countries where the Kazakhstani diaspora resides.
The overseas voting process will officially conclude at the polling station in San Francisco, which is to close on March 16 at 08:00 AM Astana time. Therefore, the referendum, organized as part of Kazakhstan's democratic initiatives, will be finalized only after all ballots, including those from abroad, are counted.
Once the vote count is complete, official results will be announced and published as scheduled.
By 7:00 PM Astana time, 9,050 citizens of Kazakhstan had cast their ballots abroad
