Kazakhstan Changes Rules for Electing Regional and Local Governors

Kazakhstan has adopted a constitutional law on elections in the first reading, Orda.kz reports.

At a joint meeting of both chambers of parliament, deputies considered the draft constitutional law “On Amendments and Additions to the Constitutional Law ‘On Elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan.’” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin presented the main changes.

The amendments set out new rules for nominating candidates and holding elections for akims.

If candidates for the post of akim receive an equal number of votes, the territorial election commission will decide to hold a second vote within one month. The same person cannot simultaneously be a candidate for maslikhat deputy and akim, or be a candidate for akim in several electoral districts,Zhumangarin said.

He also said the changes will affect election campaigning.

There is a ban on candidates and political parties attracting financing from outside election funds. The collection of signatures in support of a candidate for akim must include representatives of half of the settlements in the electoral district and 1% of the total number of voters in that district,Zhumangarin added.

The amendments also provide for:

• uniform rules for campaigning on online platforms;
• the possibility of using party resources and social media for campaigning;
• new requirements for candidates’ authorized representatives, who must be citizens of Kazakhstan aged 18 or older and cannot themselves be candidates for president, parliament, maslikhat, akim posts, or members of local self-government;
• stricter requirements for election commission members, barring citizens convicted of corruption offenses or serious and especially serious crimes;
• the possibility of suspending commission members for violations;
• temporary suspension of commission members’ powers because of academic leave or childcare leave;
• a five-year term of office for commissions in newly created or reorganized regions;
• the creation of polling stations for shift workers and in places of temporary isolation.

Original author: Alina Egeldina

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