On the meeting of the Central Election Commission

 

On January 27, a regular meeting of the Central Election Commission was held under the chairmanship of Nurlan Abdirov as part of the campaign for the election of members of the Mazhilis of the Parliament and maslikhats of all levels, which considered the following issues:

1) on the admission of public associations Baitaq Kazakhstan Green Party, Respublica Party to participate in the early elections of maslikhat members of the Republic of Kazakhstan scheduled for March 19, 2023, elected on party lists;

2) on ensuring the electoral rights of citizens with disabilities in early elections of members of the Mazhilis of the Parliament and maslikhats of the Republic of Kazakhstan;

3) on financial support for the participation of political parties and candidates in the elections of members of the Mazhilis of the Parliament and maslikhats of the Republic of Kazakhstan, scheduled for March 19, 2023.

The meeting was attended by chairpersons of territorial election commissions of the regions, Astana, Almaty and Shymkent and deputy akims for social issues, heads of the departments of employment and social protection (via videoconference). Deputy minister of labour and social protection of the population, members of the working groups for ensuring the electoral rights of persons with disabilities at the Central Election Commission, representatives of public associations for the protection of the electoral rights of persons with disabilities also took part at the meeting.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of political parties, the media and the People’s Savings Bank of Kazakhstan.

The meeting was broadcast through the website and Youtube provided with sign language translation.

Opening the meeting, Nurlan Abdirov said that at the second meeting of the Central Election Commission, held on January 21, it was noted that Baitaq and Respublica political parties have the opportunity to participate in the election of maslikhat members in case of opening and registering their branches and representative offices in the regions during the period of nomination .

According to the official information provided by the Ministry of Justice regarding the registration of branches and representative offices of the relevant political parties, 15 branches of Baitaq Kazakhstan Green Party Public Association and 19 branches and representative offices of Respublica Party Public Association have been registered.

On the first issue – On the admission of public associations Baitaq Kazakhstan Green Party, Respublica Party to participate in the early elections of maslikhat members of the Republic of Kazakhstan, elected based on party lists, scheduled for March 19, 2023, a report was made by member of the Central Election Commission Shavkhat Utemissov. He informed that Baitaq Kazakhstan Green Party by a resolution dated January 21, 2023, was admitted to the election of maslikhat members in three regions, currently branches of the party have been established in a number of other regions and Almaty, Shymkent and Astana (Aktobe, Almaty, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Kostanay, Mangystau, Pavlodar, Turkestan, East Kazakhstan regions, the cities of Almaty, Shymkent and Astana).

The Respublica party is admitted to the election of maslikhat members in 19 regions where their branches are currently established (Abai, Akmola, Aktobe, Almaty, West Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Zhetysu, Karaganda, Kostanay, Kyzylorda, Mangistau, Pavlodar, North Kazakhstan, Turkestan, Ulytau region, East Kazakhstan regions, cities of Almaty, Shymkent and Astana).

Nurlan Abdirov brought to the attention of the political parties Baitaq and Respublica that if the parties open and register their branches and representative offices in other regions during the period of nomination, the issue of admission to participation in the elections of maslikhat members in the respective regions will be considered additionally.

Turning to the second issue of the meeting, Nurlan Abdirov noted that ensuring the electoral rights of citizens is one of the main priorities of the Central Election Commission in organising and conducting election campaigns. Members of the working group on ensuring the electoral rights of persons with disabilities, permanently operating at the CEC, take an active part in the development and discussion of information and reference materials, election documents prepared by the electoral authorities, taking into account the needs of citizens with disabilities.

A norm was introduced into the Constitutional Act on establishing a quota for representatives of three categories – women, youth, persons with disabilities – in the lists of political parties during elections to the Mazhilis of the Parliament. This requirement will be applied for the first time in the current campaign, given the recent legislative changes.

That means that the number of women, youth, persons with disabilities in the party list in total should be at least 30 percent.

Moreover, this regulatory provision is also applied in the distribution of MP mandates: the number of representatives of three categories – women, youth, persons with disabilities in aggregate should be at least 30 percent of the total number of MP mandates received by the party following the elections.

At a meeting of the Central Election Commission, a resolution recommending local executive bodies to take the necessary measures to ensure conditions for persons with disabilities at polling stations, to assist election commissions in ensuring conditions for voting for voters with disabilities, to check the accessibility of voting stations for persons with disabilities with the participation of representatives of public associations of persons with disabilities, as well as provide additional measures to ensure special conditions at polling stations for voters with disabilities was adopted.

Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan together with local executive bodies was recommended to update information about voters with disabilities who require special conditions for voting; update polling station information in the Interactive Accessibility Map.

Territorial election commissions of regions, cities of republican significance and the capital, districts, cities were instructed to take the necessary measures to ensure conditions for the voting of persons with disabilities.

Anastassiya Schegortsova, member of the Central Election Commission, reported on certain issues of ensuring the electoral rights of citizens with disabilities in the early elections of members of the Mazhilis of the Parliament and maslikhats.

She informed that the Central Election Commission is implementing a set of measures to ensure the electoral rights of citizens with disabilities.

Thus, from 2021, broadcasts of meetings of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as all our informational video materials, are provided with sign language translation.

In the 2022 presidential election, a stencil was made using Braille for the first time.

Local executive bodies, as part of the work to create conditions for voting for voters with disabilities, involve sign language interpreters, including online, provide disabled taxi services and services of individual assistants on voting day.

The CEC also recommends that local executive bodies actively involve representatives of public associations of persons with disabilities in checking the accessibility of the electoral infrastructure.

Sabila Mustafina, member of the Central Election Commission, spoke on the final issue of financial support for the participation of political parties and candidates in the elections of members of the Mazhilis of the Parliament and maslikhats of the Republic of Kazakhstan, scheduled for March 19, 2023.

Sabila Mustafina explained to the meeting participants the election fee amount to be paid to candidates for members of the Mazhilis and maslikhats of the Republic of Kazakhstan, elected in single-mandate territorial constituencies, as well as political parties for each person included in the party list, before registration and after checking candidates for compliance with the requirements of the law. According to the legislation, in the current campaign, the amount of the election fee for a candidate for the Mazhilis member to the Parliament is 15 minimum wages (1 million 50 thousand KZT), for a candidate for maslikhat member – 5 minimum wages (350 thousand KZT).

The contribution made is returned to the candidate or political party in cases where, following the results of the elections, the candidate was elected as a maslikhat member or, following the voting results, the candidate or political party won at least 5 percent of the votes, as well as in case of death of the candidate or the only candidate included in the party list. In all other cases, the contribution made is non-refundable and is transferred to the income of the republican budget.

Also, the CEC member announced in her report the maximum size and sources of election funds for candidates and political parties.

Thus, she said that election funds are formed from personal funds of candidates, funds of political parties and voluntary donations from citizens and organisations of the Republic.

The size of the electoral fund of a candidate for the Mazhilis member of the Parliament, elected in single-mandate territorial constituencies, should not exceed 700 minimum wages (49 million KZT).

The size of the electoral fund of each political party that nominated a party list of candidates for Mazhilis members to the Parliament should not exceed 15,000 minimum wages (1 billion 50 million KZT), for maslikhat members of regions, cities of republican significance and the capital – 3,000 minimum wages (210 million KZT).

The electoral fund of a candidate for maslikhat members of regions, cities of republican significance and the capital, elected in single-mandate constituencies, should not exceed 300 minimum wages (21 million KZT), for maslikhat members of districts and cities – 150 minimum wages (10.5 million KZT).

It should be noted that, according to the novelties of the legislation, the corresponding limits on voluntary donations from each individual and legal entity have been established.