Election Snapshot

Elections in Kazakhstan: 2022 Early Presidential Elections

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On Sunday, Nov. 20, voters of Kazakhstan will cast ballots in the nationwide early presidential election. This will be the seventh presidential election since Kazakhstan’s independence in 1991 and the sixth early or “snap” election since 1999.

This election will be the first since voters approved 33 amendments to the Constitution in the March 2022 constitutional referendum. Those amendments decreased the power of the president in favor of the Parliament and also eliminated the powers retained by former president Nursultan Nazarbayev. Nevertheless, the recent referendum was criticized by the political opposition and many citizens as an attempt by current president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to consolidate power and support ahead of an anticipated presidential election, originally scheduled for 2024, and an opportunity to promote his political agenda following the mass protests and civil unrest in January 2022.

To help you understand this important electoral process, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) provides Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Elections in Kazakhstan: 2022 Early Presidential Elections. IFES FAQs include:

  • Why are these elections important?
  • What is the electoral system?
  • What is the election management body? What are its powers?
  • How will election disputes be adjudicated?

Learn more about IFES' programs in Kazakhstan and follow @IFES_Europe on Twitter.

Additionally, visit IFES' Election Guide for the most comprehensive and timely verified election information available online.