Nurlan Abdirov visited Pavlodar and Akmola regions on the preparation 

and holding of early elections of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan

On November 5 this year Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nurlan Abdirov visited the territorial and precinct election commissions of Pavlodar and Akmola regions on an inspection trip on the preparation and holding of early elections of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, scheduled for November 20, 2022. 

In particular, he visited five polling stations in the villages of Beskauga and Shiderty of the Pavlodar region, as well as Maltabar and the city of Yereymentau of the Akmola region. During the trip, the head of the Central Election Commission held meetings with members of territorial and precinct election commissions, as well as with representatives of local executive bodies on the preparation and conduct of the nationwide vote. In total, more than 80 people took part in the meetings. 

Authorised state bodies and members of election commissions reported to the Chairman of the CEC on the work carried out in the regions on voter lists, organisational, logistical support for the elections, the creation of the necessary conditions for the physical accessibility of polling stations for citizens with disabilities, the protection and timely delivery of ballots, etc. 

Thus, Chairman of the TEC of the Pavlodar region Gulnar Amanzholova in her report said that 510,847 citizens were included in the voter lists in the Pavlodar region. On October 30, the voter lists were handed over to all polling stations in the region, and from November 4 they were presented to voters for familiarisation. She also informed about the preparation and transfer of 5,109 absentee ballots to polling stations. As part of the information support, 409,820 invitations and posters have been prepared and placed, which will be delivered to voters in a timely manner. On the voting day, a service for checking the registration of citizens will be organised at 225 polling stations, and mobile public service centres will work at 6. In accordance with the approved schedule, work continues on training members of election commissions. 

Chairman of the precinct election commission of Beskauga village Aissulu Abisheva said that there are no persons with disabilities in the list of voters in their village, but nevertheless, all conditions have been created at the polling station for persons with disabilities to vote in case citizens from other regions apply to them with absentee ballots. In the village of Shiderti, the list of voters included 10 persons with disabilities, for whom the required conditions for voting were created at the polling station, namely: the polling station is located on the first floor of the building; voting, considering the access of voters with impaired functions of the musculoskeletal system, including those using wheelchairs, there is additional lighting, a magnifying glass, etc. Nurlan Abdirov emphasised that all 10,101 polling stations in the country will be provided with special Braille stencils. 

The CEC Chairman drew the attention of the akim of Ekibastuz to the need to ensure voting conditions for citizens in case of adverse weather conditions on the voting day (snow, ice, etc.). 

Chairman of the TEC of the Akmola region Manarbek Saduov, reported that 517,031 citizens were included in the voter lists in the Akmola region. Here, too, on October 30, the voter lists were handed over to the polling stations according to the act and from November 4 they were presented to the voters for familiarisation. The regional TEC prepared and handed over 5,170 absentee ballots to the polling stations. As part of the information support, 345,100 invitations and posters have been prepared and placed, which will be delivered to voters’ addresses in the coming days. On voting day, a service for checking the registration of citizens will be organised at 173 polling stations, and mobile public service centres will operate at 5. Work on training members of election commissions is proceeding according to the approved schedule.

As part of the inspection trip, Nurlan Abdirov drew the attention of commission members to the need to ensure the availability and convenience of voting premises not only for voters, but also for observers, proxies and media representatives. In order to organise and conduct elections in strict accordance with the requirements of the current legislation, decisions were made to replace separate voting premises with more spacious and convenient for all participants in the electoral process within the same polling station. The remarks of the Chairman of the CEC were eliminated on the spot. 

During the visit, the CEC Chairman checked the operation of online services that allow voters to check themselves in the lists, and also got acquainted with the results of electoral training for members of election commissions. 

Following the results of the meetings, Nurlan Abdirov gave a number of specific instructions to the chairmen of territorial and precinct election commissions on the information and technical equipment of polling stations, their accessibility and convenience for citizens, including for persons with disabilities, ensuring the conditions for effective observation on election day. All these issues will be discussed at the next meetings of the Central Election Commission.