On the results of the registration of party lists, the draw procedure,

accreditation of foreign observers and pre-election campaigning

 

On February 18, 2 meetings of the Central Election Commission were held on the results of the registration of party lists, on the procedure for entering the names of political parties in the voting ballot (random drawing of names), accreditation of observers of foreign states and an international organisation and conducting election campaigning in early elections of members of the Mazhilis of the Parliament and maslikhats of the Republic of Kazakhstan, scheduled for March 19, 2023.

The first meeting consisted of chairpersons and members of territorial election commissions of regions, Astana, Almaty and Shymkent, representatives of local executive bodies (via videoconference). Representatives of political parties, the media, interested state bodies and a representative of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission were also invited to the meeting.

The meeting was traditionally broadcast via the CEC website and Youtube with the sign language interpretation.

Opening the first meeting of the day, Nurlan Abdirov said that in accordance with the Calendar plans of the main activities for the preparation and holding of early elections of members of the Mazhilis of the Parliament and maslikhats of the Republic of Kazakhstan, scheduled for March 19, 2023, today, at February 18, 2023, at 18.00 local time, the stage of registration of candidates for members of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan and maslikhats of all levels was completed.

In accordance with the provisions of the Constitutional Act on Elections, territorial election commissions shall organise and ensure the holding of elections of maslikhat members. Registration of party lists nominated by political parties to the maslikhats of the regions, cities of republican significance and the capital falls within the competence of the territorial election commissions of these regions. They conduct all electoral processes in the regions.

Thus, for 334 seats of regional, cities of republican significance and metropolitan maslikhats elected by the proportional system, territorial election commissions conducted similar procedures for registering party lists in the regions.

According to available operational information, territorial election commissions in all regions registered candidates for members on party lists for maslikhats of the regions, cities of republican significance and the capital.

Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission Konstantin Petrov gave a report on the results of the registration of party lists submitted by political parties in the early elections of members to the Mazhilis of Parliament and maslikhats of regions, cities of republican significance and the capital.

He said that by February 15 of this year, the CEC had completed the registration lists submitted for consideration by all 7 political parties.

Territorial election commissions (TEC) have also completed the work on the registration of party lists for the elections of half of the members of the maslikhats of the regions, cities of republican significance, the capital, elected on a proportional basis.

Thus, the Central Election Commission registered the party lists of all 7 political parties submitted for participation in the elections to the Mazhilis of Parliament: the People’s Party of Kazakhstan Public Association – 52 candidates, the Ak Zhol Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Public Association – 54 candidates, the National Social Democratic Party Republican Public Association – 19 candidates, the Baytaq Kazakhstan Green Party – 18 candidates, the Auyl People’s Democratic Patriotic Party Public Association – 25 candidates, the AMANAT Party Public Association – 90 candidates, Respublica Party Public Association – 23 candidates (2 candidates of the party were excluded according to the applications submitted by them).

Thus, 281 candidates were included in the 7 lists of political parties offering their claims to Parliamentary seats of Mazhilis members to the Parliament of the country. The necessary representation of women, youth and persons with disabilities was observed by each political party. In general, for all party lists, these categories account for 38.1%.

The average age of candidates is 45.7 years, 19 candidates for MPs under the age of 29; 80 of them are women (28.5%), 201 men.

Representatives of 12 ethnic groups were included in the lists of political parties.

Konstantin Petrov also informed about the results of the registration of candidates for maslikhat members of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Thus, 3415 members are to be elected to 223 maslikhats in the republic, including 668 to regional maslikhats, 617 to city maslikhats, 2130 to district maslikhats. Of the 668 members to the regional maslikhats, 334 members are elected on party lists.

According to the elections of members of maslikhats of regions, cities of republican significance, 118 party lists were registered, out of 1447 candidates (Ak Zhol KDP – 199 candidates were registered in all 20 regions, the AMANAT Party – in all 20 regions 692 candidates were registered, the Auyl NDPP – in all 20 regions 136 candidates were registered, the Baytak Kazakhstan Green Party – in 18 regions (except Kostanay region and Zhetysu region) 89 candidates were registered, the OSDP did not nominate party lists in the regions, the People\s Party of Kazakhstan – 172 candidates were registered in all 20 regions, the Respubliсa Party – 159 candidates were registered in all 20 regions).

The necessary representation of women and youth in the registered lists is observed by each political party, these categories are represented by 39.2%.

The average age of candidates is 43.8 years, 182 under the age of 29, 434 women (30%), 1013 – men.

The lists of political parties include representatives of 22 ethnic groups.

Turning to the second issue of the first meeting, Nurlan Abdirov noted that in accordance with Article 37 of the Constitutional Act on Elections, the voting ballot for political parties includes the names of political parties in the order determined by the draw.

Decision No. 15/214 of the Central Election Commission dated 13 July 1999 approved the Rules for drawing lots on the inclusion of the names of political parties on the ballot. Member of the Central Election Commission, Sabila Mustafina, acquainted the meeting participants with these rules.

She reported that, in accordance with the Regulations, envelopes of the same size and colour were inserted with sheets with serial numbers equal to the number of registered lots. In one envelope there will be only one sheet with a number. The envelopes are sealed and laid out on a table in front of all participants. A representative of each political party takes one envelope on a first-come, first-served basis, opens it, and displays the number written on the sheet.

The number inside the envelope is the number under which the name of the political party will be included on the ballot.

The results of the drawing of lots are entered into the protocol and signed by the present members of the Central Election Commission.

According to the results of the draw, the places were distributed as follows:

1. AMANAT Party;

2. Auyl party;

3. Respublica Party;

4. People’s Party of Kazakhstan;

5. Baytaq Kazakhstan Green Party;

6. Ak Zhol Party;

7. National Social Democratic Party.

Thus, the procedure for including the names of political parties in the ballot in the elections of Mazhilis members to the Parliament elected on party lists has been determined.

This procedure will be used in the elections of maslikhat members of regions, cities of republican significance and the capital, elected by a proportional system.

Secretary of the Central Election Commission Mukhtar Yerman gave a report on the third issue on the agenda of the meeting. He informed that since the opening of the Institution of International Observation, 79 observers from 9 foreign states and 3 international organisations have been accredited.

To date, 4 observers from 2 foreign states and 1 international organisation have been submitted for accreditation: 2 candidates from the Kingdom of Belgium, 1 candidate from the Kyrgyz Republic, 1 candidate from the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission.

At the same time, Mukhtar Yerman noted that the CEC received a submission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the receipt of a note from the OSCE/ODIHR on a change in the composition of the Mission of this organisation for one observer.

Thus, previously accredited observer Michel Niang will not be able to take part in the observation. In this regard, appropriate changes have been made to the composition of the ODIHR Election Observation Mission.

During the second meeting of the day, the issue of election campaigning was considered. A report on this issue was made by a member of the Central Election Commission Anastassiya Schegortsova, who informed that election campaigning begins immediately after the completion of the stage of registration of candidates. In the current election campaign, campaigning starts from 18.00 on February 18 and ends at 00.00 on March 18.

She brought to the participants of the meeting the main novelties of the legislation, noting that now, in addition to campaigning through the media, election events, the release of campaign materials, it is possible to campaign through online platforms.

Another novelty for the media was also noted – now on the voting day, one representative from each mass media outlet and no more than three representatives from a TV channel can be present at the polling station if there is a service certificate and the task of the editorial office.

Anastassiya Schegortsova drew attention to the fact that the procedure for holding public events, such as meetings, rallies, processions and demonstrations, is regulated by a special law. To conduct them, one needs to contact the local executive body.

When holding public election events, it is important to remember that free distribution of printed, including illustrative, materials, as well as badges, flags, table flags specially made for the election campaign is allowed. However, the provision of free goods, services, etc. is not allowed. This is improper election campaigning, its conduct is prohibited.

All campaign materials shall contain the following information: about the organisation that released these materials, the place of their printing, circulation, persons who made the order, from what sources it was paid for.

It is forbidden to produce propaganda printed materials outside the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan and distribute anonymous campaign materials.

All campaign materials of candidates and political parties are paid from election funds. The law prohibits the attraction of other money from other sources for this purpose. It is also forbidden to accept any goods, works or services not paid for from the election fund.

On election day and the day preceding it, any pre-election campaigning is prohibited.

At the meeting, reports of local executive bodies on the readiness for election campaigning, including the provision of special places and premises for the placement of candidates’ campaign materials, were heard. Vice Minister of Information and Social Development Kanat Iskakov and Deputy Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan Zhandos Umiraliyev also reported on aspects of the campaign period and monitoring of the media and the Internet space during the election campaign and responsibility for violations of the law.

During the meeting, Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Republic of Kazakhstan Aizhan Yesmagambetova informed about the epidemiological situation in the republic and measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, influenza and SARS.

She said that the epidemic situation in the republic is stable. Up to 120 cases of COVID-19 with a positive PCR result and up to 10 cases of COVID-19 with a negative PCR result are recorded per day. According to the matrix of assessment of the epidemiological situation, all regions are in the green zone.

Aizhan Yesmagambetova noted that over the past 3 weeks, there has been a gradual increase in the incidence of ARVI in the republic. These incidenced increased in all regions, in the whole republic the increase was 1.6 times (from 148 thousand to 243 thousand cases).

Taking into account the current situation on coronavirus infection and the season for the incidence of SARS and influenza, when campaigning for elections, it is recommended to use spacious premises during congresses and conferences, to ensure the smooth functioning of the air ventilation system in the premises and in regions where the R indicator is higher than 1, as well as adhering to compliance with the mask regime.

During the meeting, Deputy Prosecutor General Zhandos Umiraliyev said that on February 17 this year, a submission was made to the Central Election Commission by the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Kazakhstan on bringing to administrative responsibility four candidates for members of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan for conducting pre-election campaigning during the period of its prohibition, in accordance with paragraph 3 of Art. 47 of the Constitutional Act On Elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The CEC adopted a corresponding resolution.

Media briefings were held at the end of both meetings.