On May 26, 2022, a meeting on informing citizens during
a referendum was held at the CRC

On May 26 this year a meeting on informing citizens about the upcoming referendum was held in offline and online modes at the Central Referendum Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the chairmanship of Nurlan Abdirov.

The meeting was attended by the leadership of the ministries of digital development, innovation and aerospace industry, information and social development, akimats, territorial commissions of all regions, as well as the media.

In his welcoming speech to the participants of the meeting, CRC Chairman Nurlan Abdirov noted that, in accordance with the Constitutional Law “On Referendum,” the organisation and conduct of the referendum shall be carried out openly and publicly. The Central Referendum Commission shall inform citizens about the course of preparations for the referendum.

He noted that all meetings of the commission are being held in a hybrid format – both offline and online, with the obligatory participation of the media. The meetings are broadcast via the CRC website and are provided with sign language translation. After each meeting, briefings for the media are held, where comprehensive answers to all questions of journalists are provided. All resolutions, press releases and other information materials of the referendum are posted on the Commission’s Internet resource and are publicly available. Information and explanatory videos, audio clips, Internet banners, modules for printed publications were produced and distributed in the republican and regional media. Thus, the Commission has taken all the necessary measures to ensure the openness and transparency of the process of preparation for the referendum.

Minister of Information and Social Development Askar Umarov spoke at the event. He noted that the Ministry of Information and Social Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan has attracted all information resources, and is also constantly monitoring the information field. Thus, information messages and graphic products on the search for a polling station in each region are replicated in the media and social networks.

During the campaign period from May 5, monitoring covered 499 republican and regional media, including 321 newspapers, 47 TV channels and 131 websites. As of May 26, 2022, no campaigning violations have been recorded.

Vice Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Asset Turysov informed the meeting participants about the work done by the ministry to develop the “Search for a voting site by IIN” service. This service is hosted on 3 information resources:

• https://www.gov.kz/referendum;

• https://referendum.gov.kz/;

• https://referendum2022.gov.kz/

A citizen of Kazakhstan through the IIN finds his/her referendum site. In the absence of a site, lists of call-centres of akimats are automatically displayed.

A similar service is being elaborated on the Kaspi.kz and Homebank of Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan applications. This service is expected to be launched in the next few days.

Representatives of regional akimats also spoke about the work done to inform citizens about the referendum, the work of call centres, Telegram bots to provide information about polling stations for voting of citizens.

The CRC Chairman paid special attention to the issue of voting by absentee vote certificate.

Nurlan Abdirov noted that if a citizen changes his/her place of residence, from May 20 to 18.00 June 4 this year he/she has the right to receive an absentee vote certificate on the basis of an application to the precinct commission.

It shall be allowed to receive an absentee vote certificate on the basis of a power of attorney. In this case, notarisation of the power of attorney is not required.

Upon presentation of an absentee vote certificate, the precinct commission on voting day includes a citizen in the list at the precinct at the place of his/her stay.

Absentee vote certificates are not issued to citizens wishing to vote in another polling station within the same locality.

At the end of the meeting, Nurlan Abdirov noted that there was little time left until the voting day. Therefore, it is important to “strengthen all necessary measures to inform citizens about the upcoming referendum, including media resources, SMS mailings, functioning of call centers, Telegram bots at akimats.”

“Kazakhstanis should also show civic activity and check themselves in the lists, in case of non-inclusion, apply to the relevant precinct commissions at the place of registration, and also, if they change their place of residence, receive absentee vote certificates for voting in a timely manner. All citizens of the republic shall be provided with the opportunity to exercise their constitutional right to participate in a referendum,” the CRC Chairman emphasised.