Kazakhstan concludes voting in Kurultai elections UPDATED

Polling stations have closed in Kazakhstan, where voting was held in the elections to the Kurultai, Zakon.kz reports.

Voting took place throughout the day at polling stations across all regions of Kazakhstan and cities of republican significance. A total of 10,363 polling stations operated nationwide. Some 12,605,788 people were eligible to vote.

However, voting is still underway outside Kazakhstan. Citizens abroad continue to cast their ballots at polling stations located at the country’s diplomatic missions, in accordance with local time.

As of 7:00 p.m., all 79 polling stations at Kazakhstan’s diplomatic missions in 61 countries had opened. The last to open was the polling station in San Francisco, United States.

Voting has concluded in 11 countries. Of the 11,402 registered voters, 6,007 cast their ballots, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issetov said.

17:53

Voter turnout in Kazakhstan’s elections for Kurultai deputies reached 72.15% of the total number of voters, Central Election Commission member Shavkhat Utemisov said at a briefing on August 23, 2026.

Utemisov noted that, as of 6:00 p.m., 9,095,298 people had cast their ballots, according to Kazakh media. 

A total of 12,605,788 people are eligible to vote in Kazakhstan.

15:42

Kazakhstan Central Election Commission (CEC) member Assel Zhanabilova announced that voter turnout in the elections for Kurultai deputies has exceeded 65%.

Speaking at a CEC briefing on August 23, she noted that 12,605,788 people are included in the voter rolls and that the majority had already cast their ballots by that time.

“As of 4:00 p.m., 8,240,336 people, or 65.37% of the total number of citizens included in the voter lists, had received ballots,” Zhanabilova said.

14:17

Central Election Commission (CEC) member Shavkhat Utemisov provided an update on voter turnout in Kazakhstan’s elections for Kurultai deputies at a briefing on August 23, 2026.

Utemisov said 12,605,788 people are included in the voter rolls. By that time, the majority had already cast their ballots, according to Kazakh media.

“As of 2:00 p.m., 6,696,002 people, or 53.12% of the total number of citizens included in the voter lists, had received ballots,” he noted.

11:25

As of noon local time on August 23, 4,670,816 people had voted in Kazakhstan’s elections for Kurultai (parliament) deputies, accounting for 37.05% of the country’s total electorate, Central Election Commission member Lyazzat Suyindik said at a briefing.

A total of 12,605,788 citizens are eligible to vote in Kazakhstan.

According to data from the territorial election commissions, voter turnout by region was as follows:

• Abai region — 38.51%

• Akmola region — 39.57%

• Aktobe region — 42.53%

• Almaty region — 39.05%

• Atyrau region — 35.84%

• West Kazakhstan region — 35.49%

• Zhambyl region — 35.54%

• Zhetysu region — 47.29%

• Karaganda region — 40.56%

• Kostanay region — 34.72%

• Kyzylorda region — 47.59%

• Mangystau region — 34.68%

• Pavlodar region — 35.74%

• North Kazakhstan region — 38.13%

• Turkistan region — 43.14%

• Ulytau region — 34.93%

• East Kazakhstan Region — 41.89%

• Astana — 35.28%

• Almaty city — 17.87%

• Shymkent — 41.60%

By Jeyhun Aghazada