ELECTION COMMISSION MEMBERS LEARN SIGN LANGUAGE TO 

HELP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CAST THEIR VOTES

As part of his working visit to the Pavlodar Region, Member of the СEC RK Mikhail Bortnik inspected polling stations in the cities of Pavlodar and Ekibastuz.

He paid particular attention to their technical equipment, the creation of an inclusive environment for persons with disabilities, and the level of preparedness of election commission members.

During visits to Polling Stations No. 524, 535, and 539 in Ekibastuz, commission members demonstrated their knowledge of key sign language signs used to communicate with voters with hearing impairments. Using the sign language skills they have acquired, commission members can greet voters, check their identification documents, locate them on the voter list, invite them to enter the voting booth, and perform other essential tasks.

In the city of Pavlodar, at Polling Stations No. 34 and 55, Mikhail Bortnik was briefed on the progress of delivering personalized invitations to voters. It was noted that commission members use digital tools that simplify the process of collecting and organizing data. The secretary of the precinct election commission can see in real time how many apartments have been visited, how many invitations have been delivered, and which voters need to be visited again.

As part of the visit, Mikhail Bortnik also took part in a practical seminar for chairpersons and secretaries of precinct election commissions. The seminar focused on the topic “Practical Organization of the Work of a Precinct Election Commission during Elections to the Kurultai of the Republic of Kazakhstan.”

The seminar was attended by 120 members of precinct election commissions. Through interactive exercises and practical case studies, participants reinforced their knowledge of electoral legislation and practiced issues related to polling station equipment, interaction with voters, and engagement with participants in the electoral process.

The seminar provided participants with an opportunity to exchange experience and strengthen their readiness to work effectively on election day. 

In addition, Member of the Central Election Commission Mikhail Bortnik held a working meeting on the preparation for and conduct of the elections of deputies of the Kurultai of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The meeting was attended by heads of government bodies, members of the regional election commission, and chairpersons of city, district, and territorial election commissions. The main topic of discussion was the region’s readiness for the upcoming elections, which will be held on August 23, 2026. 

The meeting also included a detailed discussion of the information campaign for citizens. In particular, the participants discussed the operation of call centers, ways to find one’s assigned polling station, the procedures for voting at home, and the process for obtaining absentee voting certificates.

A total of 536 election commissions, comprising 3,446 members, are involved in preparing for and conducting the elections in the region.