Kazakhstan holds constitutional referendum: voting ends
During the entire voting period, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., 9,126,850 Kazakhstanis received ballots, which amounted to 73.24 percent of all citizens eligible to vote. The turnout figures were announced by Mukhtar Yerman, Deputy Chairman of the Central Referendum Commission.
“Precinct commissions have begun counting the votes. In accordance with current legislation, the vote count at referendum polling stations must not exceed twelve hours from the moment counting begins,” he said.
Details
According to territorial commissions in the regions, the cities of republican significance, and the capital, final turnout by region was as follows:
Abai Region - 75.45%;
Akmola Region - 79.82%;
Aktobe Region - 87.05%;
Almaty Region - 71.46%;
Atyrau Region - 74.04%;
West Kazakhstan Region - 68.94%;
Zhambyl Region - 85.06%;
Zhetysu Region - 78.49%;
Karaganda Region - 84.30%;
Kostanay Region - 81.21%;
Kyzylorda Region - 93.04%;
Mangystau Region - 77.89%;
Pavlodar Region - 75.51%;
North Kazakhstan Region - 70.52%;;
Turkestan Region - 84.03%
Ulytau Region - 73.15%;
East Kazakhstan Region - 86.42%;
Astana - 60.36%;
Almaty - 33.43%;
Shymkent - 75.82% .
“The preliminary results of the referendum will be announced separately. The time of their announcement will be communicated additionally,” Yerman said.
Turnout figures during the day
Photo: Tengrinews.kz / Marzhan Kuandykova
By 10:00 a.m., 2,393,844 Kazakhstanis had received ballots, which amounted to 19.21 percent of all eligible voters. By 12:00 p.m., that number had risen to 4,677,595 voters, or 37.54 percent of those on the voter lists.
According to the preliminary turnout as of 2:00 p.m., the referendum on the new Constitution was officially recognized as valid. By that time, 6,471,378 Kazakhstanis had taken part, or 51.93 percent of citizens on the lists. Under the rules, a referendum is considered valid if more than half of eligible citizens participate.
By 4:00 p.m., 8,029,286 Kazakhstanis had voted. By 6:00 p.m., more than 70 percent of voters had cast their ballots - 8,845,280 people.
Photo: Tengrinews.kz / Marzhan Kuandykova
The referendum results must be announced no later than seven days after the vote, that is, by March 21, 2026.
Photo: Tengrinews.kz / Marzhan Kuandykova