On June 25, 2020 within the framework of the election campaign of the deputies of Senate of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan was held a meeting of the Central Election Commission

On June 25, 2020, there was meeting of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan (hereinafter - the CEC) in the online mode, at which were considered the following issues:

1. “On establishing the amount of expenses for a candidate to deputy of the Senate of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan covered from the funds of the republican budget and election funds of candidates to the deputies of the Senate of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan”;

2. "On approval of the Regulation for using the functionality of the Internet resource of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan during the holding of election of the deputies of Senate of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan".

Opening the meeting, the Chairman of the Сentral Election Commission Berik Imashev briefly acquainted with the course of the election campaign for the election of deputies of the Senate of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, scheduled for August 12, 2020.

“As of June 25 of this year, 88 people had been nominated. On average, 5 people for one deputy seat are nominated,” - the Chairman Berik Imashev noted.

On the first issue, the Secretary of the Central Election Commission Sabila Mustafina made a report. In her report, Sabila Mustafina noted that the state guarantees for candidates equal allocation of funds for speaking with their programs in the media:

- on television (live or in record) - fifteen minutes;

- on radio - ten minutes;

- for publications in periodicals or online publications of two articles no more than 0.1 printed sheet.

Candidates independently redistribute the volume of publications in print and / or network publications, TV and radio channels within the framework of the funds allocated to them by the state for speaking with their election programs.

Also, the expenses of candidates for public election campaigns, the production of campaign materials and transportation expenses, in the amounts established by the Central Election Commission, are covered from the republican budget.

Based on the foregoing, the CEC, by its resolution, established the amount of expenses of a candidate for deputy of the Senate of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, covered from the republican budget, in the amount of – 450 000 tenge for: 1) speaking with program on TV, radio and publishing 2 articles in periodicals – 300 000 tenge; 2) conducting public election campaign events and issuing campaign materials – 70 000 tenge; 3) transportation expenses – 80 000 tenge.

Sabila Mustafina also had made a presentation explaining the information on the election funds of candidates for deputies of the Senate of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The election fund of a candidate for deputy of the Senate of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan consists of:

1) the candidate’s own funds, the total amount of which should not exceed the minimum wage established by the legislation more than two hundred times, which is 8 500 000 (eight million five hundred thousand) tenge;

2) voluntary donations of citizens and organizations of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the total amount of which should not exceed the minimum wage established by the legislation more than five hundred times, which is 21 250 000 (twenty one million two hundred fifty thousand) tenge.

Funds received in excess of the established amount shall not be credited to the election funds and shall be returned to the citizens and organizations that contributed them. At the same time, the expenses associated with the return of these funds are covered by the citizens and organizations that contributed them.

Anonymous donations are transferred to the republican budget revenue. In the election funds can be directed only legally obtained resources.

The right to dispose of the resources of the election fund belongs exclusively to candidates for deputies of the Senate of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Candidates from the resources of election funds pay the expenses:

1) for speaking in any registered media;

2) for organizing and conducting public election events, meetings with voters;

3) for issuing and (or) distributing printed, audiovisual and other campaign materials;

4) for the services of legal entities and individuals for organization of campaigning;

5) for covering transportation and travel expenses related to the election campaign;

6) for the production of printed materials, including illustrative materials, as well as badges, flags and other signs and symbols specially made for the election campaign, for free distribution.

In case of candidate withdrawing his candidacy or the cancellation of the decision on registration of the candidate, the money received by the election fund will be returned to the citizens and organizations that contributed it. At the same time, the expenses associated with the return of these funds are covered by the citizens and organizations that contributed them.

On the second issue of the meeting, a report was made by the Director of the Engineering and Technical Center of the Central Election Commission Kanat Arsakbaev.

In his report, Kanat Arsakbaev submitted for the consideration of the members of the CEC the resolution “On approval of the Regulation for using the functionality of the Internet resource of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan during the holding of election of the deputies of Senate of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan”.

According to the regulations, the functionality of the Central Election Commission's Internet resource will be used for registration of electors - deputies of maslikhats and summing up the preliminary results of voting in online mode.

This system is implemented in compliance with the requirements of the legislation on personal data and their protection, information security.

Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan Berik Imashev noted that "the use of modern information technologies in conducting of indirect election of the deputies of Senate ensures transparency and openness of the electoral process".

It should be noted that the electronic accompaniment of the election of deputies of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan was successfully used in the election of 2017, and the elections of deputies of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan from the city of Shymkent in 2018 and 2019.

After the meeting, a briefing was held, at which representatives of the Central Election Commission answered to interest for the media questions.