Production, issuance and registration of absentee ballots

On May 15, 2019, a meeting of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan was held, attended by representatives of a number of political parties and representatives of the OSCE/ODIHR Mission. The meeting addressed the following issue:

Production, issuance and registration of absentee ballots

Deputy Chairman Konstantin Petrov informed that the legislation provides for the possibility to vote even if it is not possible to come on the day of voting at the place of attachment.

When the voter changes his/her place of residence during the period between the submission of the voter lists for public familiarization and the election day, the precinct election commission shall issue an absentee ballot to the voter.

In the current early elections, the CEC has taken measures to register and control the number of absentee ballots produced, ballots transferred to polling stations, used and unused ballots.

According to the amendments to the Rules for Issuing and Recording Voter Absentee Ballots, the TEC shall produce absentee ballots in the region no more than 1% of the total number of voters in accordance with the uniform electronic Register of Citizens-Voters, of which they inform the Central Election Commission during a one-day period.

In case of additional necessity, the TEC, after consultation with the CEC and with indication of the reasons in writing, shall also take a decision on the additional production of absentee ballots no later than three days before voting day.

In the meantime, electoral commissions of oblasts, cities of republican significance, and the capital, shall distribute and transmit absentee ballots to lower territorial election commissions no later than twenty days before the voting day (May 20), and lower territorial election commissions shall distribute and transmit absentee ballots to precinct election commissions no later than sixteen days before the voting day (May 24).

The precinct election commission shall issue to the voter absentee ballots in accordance with the place of registration. In this case, a corresponding mark shall be made in the voter list.

An absentee ballot shall not be issued to a voter who wishes to vote in another polling station within the same locality.

An absentee ballot shall be issued to a voter (or his/her proxy) on the basis of an absentee ballot request with attachment of a document proving his/her identity.

An absentee ballot requested from the precinct election commission shall be filled in by the chairperson or a member of the commission in the state or Russian language at the wish of the voter.

The issuance of absentee ballots shall be terminated at 6 pm local time on the day preceding the voting day.

Upon presentation of an absentee ballot, the precinct election commission, on election day, shall include the voter in the voter list at the polling station at his/her place of residence.

Unused absentee ballots in the precinct election commissions shall be cancelled after 6 p.m. on the day preceding the voting day and shall be transferred to the higher election commission after the voting results are tabulated.

Election commissions of districts, cities and city districts shall submit reports on the use of absentee ballots to higher election commissions with attachment of documents on the cancellation of unused absentee ballots.

In addition, the PEC protocols on the results of voting and the TEC protocols on the results of the counting of votes shall indicate:

1) the number of voters who voted on the basis of absentee ballots;

2) the number of absentee ballots received by the precinct election commissions in accordance with the relevant documents;

3) the number of absentee ballots issued by the PEC to voters before 6 pm local time of the day preceding the voting day;

4) the number of unused and canceled absentee ballots after 6 pm local time of the day preceding the voting day.

Accordingly, the Central Election Commission will obtain information about the number of ballots produced, transferred to the polling stations, issued, as well as canceled absentee ballots, throughout the country.

These measures will create additional convenience for voters to exercise their constitutional right to vote, as well as will ensure control over the production, issuance and registration of absentee ballots.