IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Kazakhstan

Republic of Kazakhstan

19,621,970
Population (as of Jan. 1, 2022)

12,284,487
Registered Voters (as of None)

72.39%
Average Turnout

17
Elections in our database

V-Dem* Score: 0.272
Regimes of the World Classification: Electoral Autocracy
*Varieties of Democracy Electoral Democracy Index (2024)

CEDAW Status: Ratified
Ratified Date: Aug. 26, 1998

SIGI* Score: 20.9
Level of Discrimination: Low
*Social Institutions and Gender Index (2023)

CRPD Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: Dec. 11, 2008
Ratified Date: April 21, 2015

HDI* Score: 0.837
Category: Very High
*UNDP Human Development Index (2023)

Name	Official Name	Type
Kazakh House of Representatives	Mazhilis	Lower House
Kazakh Senate		Upper House
Kazakh Presidency	None	Head of State

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Kasym-Zhomart TOKAYEV (since 12 June 2019)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Olzhas BEKTENOV (since 6 February 2024)
Assembly: a bicameral parliament consisting of a 50-seat Senate (Сенаты) and a 98-seat lower chamber known as the Mazhilis (Мәжіліс)

Description of electoral system:

The President is directly elected by plurality vote and may serve only one 7-year term.
The Prime Minister is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Mazhilis.
In the Senate, 40 members are indirectly elected by regional (oblystar / облыстар) assemblies via two-round majority vote. An additional 10 members are appointed by the president, including 5 who are nominated by the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan (Қазақстан халқы ассамблеясы)—an advisory body consisting of ethnic minorities. All members serve 6-year terms, and half of the seats are contested every 3 years.
In the Mazhilis, 98 members are directly elected by proportional representation vote. 69 members are elected from closed lists in a single, nationwide constituency, and 29 members are elected in single-seat constituencies. All members serve 5-year terms.

Elections

2024-10-06
Referendum
Votes 7,820,204
Registered 12,284,487
Turnout 63.66

2023-03-19
Kazakh House of Representatives
Votes 6,366,441
Registered 12,035,578
Turnout 52.9

2022-11-20
Kazakh Presidency
Votes 8,300,046
Registered 11,953,465
Turnout 69.44

2022-06-05
Referendum
Votes 7,985,769
Registered 11,734,642
Turnout 68.05

2021-01-10
Kazakh House of Representatives
Votes 7,539,280
Registered 11,919,241
Turnout 63.25

2019-06-09
Kazakh Presidency
Votes 9,274,110
Registered 11,960,364
Turnout 77.54

2016-03-20
Kazakh House of Representatives
Votes 7,566,150
Registered 9,818,852
Turnout 77.06

2015-04-26
Kazakh Presidency
Votes 9,242,936
Registered 9,547,864
Turnout 96.81

2014-10-01
Kazakh Senate
Votes 3,236
Registered 3,279
Turnout 98.69

2012-01-15
Kazakh House of Representatives
Votes 7,018,927
Registered 9,303,693
Turnout 75.44

2011-04-03
Kazakh Presidency
Votes 8,216,370
Registered 9,200,000
Turnout 89.31

2007-08-18
Kazakh House of Representatives
Votes 5,935,625
Registered 8,419,283
Turnout 70.5

2005-12-04
Kazakh Presidency
Votes 6,871,571
Registered 8,949,199
Turnout 76.78

2004-10-03
Kazakh House of Representatives
Votes 1,250,675
Registered 2,766,465
Turnout 45.21

2004-09-19
Kazakh House of Representatives
Votes 4,893,204
Registered 8,662,188
Turnout 56.49

1999-10-10
Kazakh House of Representatives
Votes 5,262,489
Registered 8,419,283
Turnout 62.51

1999-01-10
Kazakh Presidency
Votes 7,323,970
Registered 8,419,283
Turnout 86.99

Election For	Date	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Referendum	2024-10-06	7,820,204	12,284,487	63.66
Kazakh House of Representatives	2023-03-19	6,366,441	12,035,578	52.9
Kazakh Presidency	2022-11-20	8,300,046	11,953,465	69.44
Referendum	2022-06-05	7,985,769	11,734,642	68.05
Kazakh House of Representatives	2021-01-10	7,539,280	11,919,241	63.25
Kazakh Presidency	2019-06-09	9,274,110	11,960,364	77.54
Kazakh House of Representatives	2016-03-20	7,566,150	9,818,852	77.06
Kazakh Presidency	2015-04-26	9,242,936	9,547,864	96.81
Kazakh Senate	2014-10-01	3,236	3,279	98.69
Kazakh House of Representatives	2012-01-15	7,018,927	9,303,693	75.44
Kazakh Presidency	2011-04-03	8,216,370	9,200,000	89.31
Kazakh House of Representatives	2007-08-18	5,935,625	8,419,283	70.5
Kazakh Presidency	2005-12-04	6,871,571	8,949,199	76.78
Kazakh House of Representatives	2004-10-03	1,250,675	2,766,465	45.21
Kazakh House of Representatives	2004-09-19	4,893,204	8,662,188	56.49
Kazakh House of Representatives	1999-10-10	5,262,489	8,419,283	62.51
Kazakh Presidency	1999-01-10	7,323,970	8,419,283	86.99

Voter Turnout

Hover to view election details.