Kazakh KPU Provides Windows Version

JAKARTA - The General Election Commission of Kazakhstan (CEC) provided a ballot with the words "letters" so that blind people can exercise their voting rights in parliamentary elections on Sunday (19/3).

In addition, audio version ballots will also be provided and equipped with a list of candidates for the lower house members, said CEC member Schegortsova Anastassiya during a press conference in Astana, Saturday.

As reported by Antara, Kazakhstan on Sunday will hold elections for lower house members (Mazhilis), as well as members of the regional representative body (maslikhats), the results of which are expected by the government to support the transition to a new political model amidst the efforts of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to encourage the progress of reform.

Anastassiya also said that representatives of human rights commissioners were examining the readiness of polling stations in facilitating persons with disabilities to ensure they could exercise their right to vote.

There are seven political parties that will participate in the March 19 elections.

They are the AMANAT party, the Democratic People's Patriotic Party of Auyl, the Republican Party, the Kazakh People's Party, the Baitak Party, the Democratic Party of Ak Zhol Kazakhstan, and the National Democratic Social Party.

The election this time carries several new rules, including that competing parties are required to meet the quota of 30 percent of female candidates, youth, and people with special needs for the legislative level in the distribution of mandates for members of parliament.

In addition, the party's threshold for entry to Mazhilis was reduced from seven to five percent, making it easier for opposition parties to enter parliament.

The proportional-massortity mixed model will be used for the first time since 2004 in the Mazhilis election. This means that 70 percent of representatives will be elected proportionally from the party list and 30 percent by the majority government from a single-member district.

Thus, 29 of the 98 members of Mazhilis will be selected in the single-placed electoral district, while the other 69 will be selected from the party list under a proportional representative model from one national election area.

In addition, ballots will provide a choice of 'against all'. Voters can collect these options if they disagree with all candidates.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairperson of CEC Konstantin Petrov, in Astana on Saturday, said that this election will for the first time apply the rules for limiting the number of election funds donations.

Early elections on March 19 were determined after President Tokayev on January 19 dissolved Mazhilis.

The parliament election is the first time it has been held since the deadly riots in Kazakhstan in January 2022, which cost more than 200 lives.