Only days remain until the vote. Across the country, 10,423 polling stations have been established, and the Central Election Commission (CEC) is currently inspecting their readiness in the regions. Simultaneously, preparations are underway for the final televised debates – all seven registered political parties have confirmed the participation of their chairpersons.

On August 23, 2026, Kazakhstani citizens will elect deputies to the Kurultai (National Congress) of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In this final stage of preparation, the CEC is focusing on the readiness of the electoral infrastructure and on ensuring that citizens are provided with the necessary conditions to exercise their right to vote.

Recently, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received the Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Nurlan Abdirov. The Head of State was briefed on the progress of the election preparations. The President emphasized the historic nature of the upcoming vote and its socio-political significance.

The Head of State underscored the need to conduct the elections based on the principle of "Law and Order," with transparency and equal conditions for all participants.

Meanwhile, practical preparations were also discussed at the 12th meeting of the Central Election Commission in Astana, attended by representatives of political parties, government agencies, the media, heads of territorial election commissions, and deputy regional governors (akims).

As noted, for the majority of voters, polling will take place on August 23 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time. However, the legislation allows for a different schedule to be set at certain polling stations.

Such a decision is made by the territorial election commission upon the recommendation of the respective regional governor (akim) and the precinct commission.

A total of 10,423 polling stations have been established nationwide. More than 100 of them will open at 6:00 a.m.

Approximately 600 stations are located in military units, inpatient medical facilities, organizations with continuous production cycles, worksites employing rotational shifts, and special institutions providing temporary isolation from society.

At such stations, voting may conclude before 8:00 p.m. if all citizens on the voter list have cast their ballots.

Voters must be informed in advance about the operating hours of their specific polling station.

In parallel, territorial commissions continue to deliver personal invitations to citizens, inform them about the upcoming elections, help them locate their polling station online, issue absentee certificates, and process inquiries.

CEC Chairman Nurlan Abdirov reported that inspection visits by commission members have already covered 12 regions. On the ground, they are reviewing the work of territorial and precinct commissions, the equipment of polling stations, and the organization of voter information efforts.

"Since last week, I and other members of the Central Election Commission have been conducting inspection trips across the country. To date, we have visited 12 regions, reviewed the work of territorial and precinct election commissions, the logistical and technical equipment of polling stations, and the outreach efforts to voters. I would like to emphasize that when handing out invitations to voters, it is essential to also provide them with information about absentee certificates for voting. It is important to convey to every voter that they have the right and the opportunity to vote even if they are in another city or region. Furthermore, I ask that special attention be paid to creating conditions for the full participation of citizens with disabilities in the elections," stressed Nurlan Abdirov.

The inspection work covered several regions simultaneously.

In the East Kazakhstan Region, CEC member Mikhail Bortnik reviewed the preparation of 534 polling stations. A total of 3,692 people are involved in the work of the commissions.

In Ridder, the working group visited polling stations Nos. 125, 129, and 131. They inspected the organization of commission work, the training of their members, and logistical and technical equipment.

A training seminar was held at polling station No. 125. Members of precinct commissions reviewed practical scenarios that might potentially arise on election day. Afterwards, they completed testing through the CEC's distance learning and testing subsystem.

Mikhail Bortnik separately drew attention to out-of-premises voting. This option is available for citizens who cannot come to the polling station due to health reasons, those caring for a sick family member, as well as for residents of remote and hard-to-reach areas where polling stations have not been organized.

In the Akmola Region, the elections will be supported by 759 election commissions comprising 4,520 people.

The CEC working group was led by Asel Zhanabilova. During the trip, a coordination meeting was held with heads of government agencies and law enforcement bodies. Discussions covered the readiness of polling stations, internet connectivity stability, voter outreach, call-center operations, and the issuance of absentee certificates.

The region also features a new element in electoral practice. Following amendments to the Constitutional Law "On Elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan," polling stations may now be established in organizations with continuous production cycles.

Three such stations have been opened in the Akmola Region, covering approximately 1,000 workers.

Asel Zhanabilova also took part in a seminar for 150 members of territorial and precinct commissions, where they practiced the application of electoral legislation norms.

In the Atyrau Region, an inspection group led by CEC Secretary Shavkhat Utemisov and CEC member Azamat Aymanakumov visited precinct commissions Nos. 275, 285, 90, and 262.

Two polling stations have been set up in the region for citizens working on a rotational basis. CEC representatives checked the readiness of station No. 288 in the Samal residential area.

Members of election commissions also underwent training. The seminar covered amendments to electoral legislation, the preparation plan for the elections, and the use of artificial intelligence.

In the capital city, 520 polling stations have been prepared, including 117 temporary ones. A total of 524 election commissions, comprising 4,263 people, will be involved.

Fifty-seven venues have been designated for meetings between political parties and voters. Campaign materials can be displayed on 85 specially equipped bulletin boards.

All polling stations are provided with the necessary logistical and technical equipment. On election day, online services will be available to help citizens navigate the voting procedure. Additionally, 30 mini-public service centers (mini-CSONs) are planned to operate in the capital.

Nurlan Abdirov visited polling stations Nos. 100, 104, 105, and 323.

Earlier, the CEC Chairman inspected the readiness of polling stations in the Karaganda, Turkistan, and Mangystau regions, as well as in Shymkent.

"I call on representatives of all stakeholders to pay attention to the importance of uninterrupted operation of engineering infrastructure and the internet network. Furthermore, polling stations must be equipped in accordance with the requirements, and all conditions must be created for citizens with disabilities," Nurlan Abdirov addressed the meeting participants.

Another information tool has been launched just before the elections. On the official website of the Central Election Commission, an AI assistant called "SAILAU AI" is now available.

The service is accessible 24/7 in both the state and Russian languages. It is built on the AlemLLM language model and provides answers to questions based on the Constitution, laws, and regulatory legal acts governing the organization and conduct of elections.

Thus, voters can independently obtain information on any issue of interest to them at any time.

The CEC meeting also set the terms for the final televised election debates.

CEC member Lazzat Suyindik reported that political parties nominating party lists of candidates for deputies to the Kurultai are entitled to participate in the debates organized by the Central Election Commission.

The main requirement is equal conditions for all participants. The debate format must not provide an advantage to any one political party or its candidates.

"Upon the proposal of the Ministry of Culture and Information, the venue for the final debates has been designated as the '24KZ' channel of Khabar Agency JSC," informed Lazzat Suyindik.

The debates will consist of four rounds: "Party Presentation," "Questions to Opponents," "Questions from Viewers," and "Appeal to Voters."

The chairpersons of all seven registered political parties have confirmed their participation in the final televised debates.

Linara SAKTAGANOVA
Astana