First-Time Voters, Civic Groups Stand Out to International Observers in Referendum

2026-03-15 - 13:56

The Astana Times provides news and information from Kazakhstan and around the world. ASTANA – International observers reported an increase in first-time voters and broader participation by civil society in Kazakhstan’s constitutional referendum, calling the voting process well-organized and noting strong public engagement at polling stations during a press briefing on March 15. Hill from the International Tax and Investment Center, US, noted an increase in first-time voters during constitutional referendum on March 15. Photo credit: The Astana Times The Central Election Commission (CEC) accredited 359 observers from 11 international organizations and 38 foreign countries. Representatives of several observation missions shared their assessments after visiting polling stations across the country. According to Wesley Alexander Hill of the International Tax and Investment Center, in the United States, the diversity of people involved in administering polling stations was a positive indicator of broader civic participation. “The reason why I note that as particularly encouraging is because it’s indicative of civil society being invested in the process. You do not want only government employees staffing polling stations. You do not want only some profession that happens to work at a polling station,” Hill said. He also noted what appeared to be an increase in first-time voters. According to voters he spoke with and polling station officials, the number of new participants seemed higher than in previous electoral cycles. “There were more first-time voters relative to demographic changes than we’ve seen in previous years, which means more people are voting for the first time, not just because they are turning 18 or reaching the age of majority, but because they have the opportunity to be who they’re choosing to be,” Hill said. He also highlighted the presence of party observers at nearly every polling station he visited. Representatives of most major political parties were present, though their distribution varied by location. In addition to party representatives, Hill observed independent civil society monitors. “The other thing to note is that there was a presence of many civil society groups not affiliated with a particular political party. Civic organizations, such as village councils, were commonly present in the areas we visited,” he said. He personally visited 13 polling stations in different locations, including villages and urban districts. The goal was to observe a broad range of environments: affluent and less affluent neighborhoods, densely populated areas, and rural and suburban communities. According to Hill, preliminary observations were broadly encouraging when compared with international standards and previous elections. At the polling stations, staffing levels appeared adequate, and administrators such as registrars and precinct captains were actively managing the process. Importantly, staffing did not appear to depend on affiliation with any specific candidate or political group. Ralph Edwin Winnie, vice president at the America–Eurasia Center–Eurasian Business Coalition (U.S.), said he visited six polling stations and spoke with voters. “It was very interesting to speak with voters as they left the polls and hear about the issues on their minds as they cast their ballots,” he said. According to Winnie, many voters said they were voting not only for themselves but for the future of Kazakhstan, particularly for their children and grandchildren. Several voters also emphasized the importance of strengthening the Kazakh language as the official language and promoting the rule of law. He added that the Constitutional Court was frequently mentioned by voters as an important issue in the referendum. “A lot of elderly people I talked to felt how important it was to vote and to really have a stake in the outcome of the future of their country,” Winnie said. Domenico Palmieri of the Istituto Italiano per l’Asia (ISIA), Italy, praised the CEC’s work in organizing the referendum within a relatively short period. “I hope that the Kazakh people will express their opinion in this referendum, and I wish Kazakhstan all the best as it continues along the path it started a few years ago,” Palmieri said. Malgorzata Samojedny, president of the Opportunity Institute for Foreign Affairs in Poland, noted that the voting process followed clearly structured steps, including voter identification and registration, issuance of ballots, and access to voting booths and ballot boxes. From left to right: Samojedny, president of the Opportunity Institute for Foreign Affairs in Poland and Palmieri of the Istituto Italiano per l’Asia (ISIA), Italy during a press briefing on March 15. Photo credit: The Astana Times “At the entrance of each polling station there were information boards displaying the draft constitutional amendments and instructions for voting, presented in two languages, Kazakh and Russian. There was also a separate stand for people with disabilities, which is very important because it ensures access for those with limitations,” Samojedny concluded.