ASTANA (TASS): More than 10,000 polling stations opened in Kazakhstan and abroad by 08:00 a.m. Astana time (05:00 a.m. Moscow time) on Sunday for elections to the country’s parliament and local representational bodies.
According to the deputy chair of the republic’s Central Election Commission, Konstantin Petrov, the vote is to take place at 10,223 polling stations, including 77 located at Kazakhstan’s diplomatic missions in foreign countries.
The first 92 polling stations opened at 06:00 a.m. local time (03:00 a.m. Moscow time). By 07:00 a.m. local time (04:00 a.m. Moscow time), the vote was under way at 8,272 polling stations, including in the republic’s Consulate General in the Russian city of Omsk.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov have already cast their ballot.
Voters will choose from all the seven political parties officially registered in Kazakhstan: the largest party of Amanat, Auyl People’s Democratic Patriotic Party, Respublica, People’s Party of Kazakhstan, Green Party ‘Baytaq’, Aq Jol Democratic Party, and Nationwide Social Democratic Party.
The elections are held under the mixed system: 70% of lawmakers are elected under the party list system and 30% – in single-seat constituencies. There is no electoral threshold.
