The Central Election Commission approved the Calendar plan of the main 

events for the preparation and conduct of elections of members of the Senate 

of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, scheduled for January 14, 2023

On November 28, 2022, a meeting of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan (hereinafter referred to as the CEC) was held, at which the Resolution “On approval of the Calendar Plan of the main events for the preparation and holding of elections of members of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, scheduled for January 14, 2023” was adopted.

Opening the meeting, Chairman of the Central Election Commission Nurlan Abdirov noted that due to the end of the constitutional term of office of the Senate members elected in 2017, by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated November 26, 2022, the regular elections of members of the Senate were scheduled for January 14, 2023. Elections of MPs in this case are appointed no less than four months before the end of the constitutional term of office of members of the Senate and are held no less than two months before the end of the constitutional term of their office.

Thus, on January 14, 2023, in 20 regions of the republic, by one member of the upper chamber of the country’s highest legislative body will be elected.

According to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Senate is formed by members representing by two people from each region, city of republican significance and the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in the manner prescribed by the Constitutional Act.

Members of the Senate are elected based on indirect suffrage by secret ballot by voters – members of maslikhats, who, in turn, are elected by the citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan in general elections.

The term of office of Senate members is six years. Half of them is re-elected every three years.

The organisation and conduct of elections of members of the Senate of the Parliament is managed by the Central Election Commission. The relevant territorial election commissions provide the preparation and conduct of elections of MPs in the regions.

Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission Konstantin Petrov delivered a report on the main stages of the election campaign.

Thus, the nomination of candidates for members of the Senate of the Parliament begins from the day following the day of calling the elections, i.e. on November 29 and ends at 18:00 local time one month before Election Day – on December 14, 2022.

Nomination of candidates for members of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan is carried out by maslikhats, as well as in the order of self-nomination.

A Senate member may be a person who has reached thirty years of age, has a higher education and work experience of at least five years, permanently residing in the territory of the relevant region, city of republican significance or the capital for at least three years.

Citizens recognised by the court as incompetent do not have the right to elect and be elected.

A person who has a criminal record that has not been cancelled or not withdrawn in the manner prescribed by law, as well as a person whose guilt in committing a corruption crime and a corruption offence in the manner prescribed by law has been recognised by the court cannot be a candidate for members of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

A candidate for Senate membership shall be supported by at least ten percent of the votes of the total number of voters representing all maslikhats of the region, a maslikhat of a city of republican significance or the capital of the Republic, but no more than twenty-five percent of the votes from one maslikhat.

Registration of candidates for Senate members begins after receiving all necessary documents and ends at 18:00 local time twenty days before the election day, that is, at 18:00 on December 24, 2022.

Registration of candidates for members of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan is carried out by election commissions of regions, cities of republican significance and the capital upon availability of a decision of the regional, city or district maslikhat on the nomination of a candidate for MP (in the case of nomination by the maslikhat); declaration of consent to run as a candidate for MP; the minutes of the relevant election commission on the results of the verification of signatures of voters in support of the candidate; biographical data of the candidate; certificates of the state revenue authority on the submission by the candidate and his (her) spouse of income and property declarations; a document certifying that the candidate made an election contribution in the amount of 900,000 KZT.

The pre-election campaign starts from the moment the term for registration of candidates expires, i.e. after 18:00 on December 24, 2022 and ends at 00:00 local time on the day preceding the voting day, i.e. at 00:00 on January 13.

The results of the vote count in the election of a Senate member are established at a meeting of the relevant election commission held at the polling station.

The vote count protocol for the election of a Senate member shall be announced at a joint meeting of voters and sent to the Central Election Commission no more than two days after the election day.

The results of the elections of members of the Senate in the Republic as a whole are established by the Central Election Commission no later than seven days from the date of the elections, no later than January 20, 2023, and a message on the results of the elections published in the media (no later than ten days from the day of the elections).