On November 20, early presidential elections were held in Kazakhstan. Tokayev in September proposed limiting presidential rule to a single term of seven years and initiated early elections on November 20. According to Tokayev, they will become the starting point for a comprehensive reset of the institutions of power in the country. The campaign slogan of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was the phrase “A Just Kazakhstan – for everyone and for everyone.”
Polling stations closed at 20:00 (17:00 Moscow time). In Atyrau, Aktobe, West Kazakhstan, Kyzylorda and Mangistau regions due to the difference in time zones – at 21:00.
Institute for Public Policy The Amanat party has already published the results of the Exit poll, according to which the current leader of the country, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, wins with 85.52% of the vote. The results of polls by the Sotsis-A Institute for Comprehensive Social Research and the Open Society International Institute for Regional Studies also show a confident victory for Tokaev – 82.02% and 82.45% of the vote, respectively.
Own Economist Meiram Kazhyken, head of the Association of Kazakh Farmers Zhiguli Dairabaev, representative of the opposition National Social Democratic Party Nurlan Auesbaev, human rights activist Saltanat Tursynbekova and public figure Karakat Abden also nominated and were admitted to the elections.
From 1 to 4% of Kazakhstanis voted for them. In the “Against all” column, from 3.4 to 5.2% of the voting participants ticked the box.
In total, more than 10 thousand polling stations were opened , including 68 of them abroad (in 53 countries). More than 11.95 million citizens of the country were included in the voting lists.
Counting ballots should last no more than 12 hours.
“The campaign will remain in history”
Tokayev has already managed to speak after summing up the preliminary results. He stated that the elections in the country were held in accordance with the law, and all candidates for the highest post were given equal opportunities.
“There were no restrictions on anyone. Each voter was given the freedom of choice,” he said.
According to the politician, the election campaign, “will undoubtedly remain in history.”
The politician called the trust of Kazakhstanis “the most important value” and stressed the need to justify this trust. “Therefore, from today we must all get to work,” he turned to his associates.
“So that you enjoy universal support”
First President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan voted today at polling station No. 393 in Astana.
After the announcement of the results of the Exit poll, he congratulated Tokayev on his victory in the elections: “This victory testifies to your high authority as the head of state and is indisputable proof of the unshakable faith of the people in your large-scale reforms and new initiatives, as well as recognition of the resilience, determination and wisdom that you showed in critical hours when the independence of our state was at stake” (quote from Orda.kz).
The former leader also wished the successor to “always enjoy the universal support and respect of the people.”
How the elections went
The Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic reported that the process voting took place in a calm atmosphere, and the prosecutor’s office received only three appeals. Complaints will be considered on the merits in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and territorial election commissions.
Zhandos Murataliev, Deputy Chairman of the Administrative Police Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, said that four people were brought to administrative responsibility for calling for unauthorized actions. “The court authorities brought to administrative responsibility four people who called for holding and participating in unsanctioned rallies, administrative protocols for 15 people were submitted to the court,” he said on the air of the Kazakhstan channel.
Observers from the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly recognized the elections as competitive and in line with national and international standards, and their preparation and conduct “organized in accordance with the electoral legislation of the state and international electoral standards.”
”The CEC, territorial and precinct election commissions have created all the necessary conditions for the effective work of international observers,” the observers believe.