Kazakhstan's Constitutional Referendum Deemed Valid as Voter Turnout Exceeds Threshold

Kazakhstan's Central Referendum Commission has officially declared the nationwide vote on constitutional amendments valid. By 2:00 PM local time, the preliminary voter turnout had surpassed the legally required threshold of 50%, reaching 51.93%.

According to the commission, a total of 6,471,378 citizens had cast their ballots by that time. The referendum is considered to have taken place if more than half of eligible voters participate.

The voting process is governed by constitutional law, which stipulates that a referendum is valid upon the participation of over half of citizens with the right to vote. This requirement was met well before polls closed.

Turnout varied significantly across the country's regions. The highest participation was recorded in the Kyzylorda region at 64.63%, while major cities showed lower figures: Nur-Sultan at 40.68% and Almaty at just 21.68%. All other regions reported turnout above 50%, with several exceeding 60%.

The referendum, held on March 15, asked citizens a single question: "Do you accept the new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the draft of which was published in the mass media on February 12, 2026?" Voters could answer either "Yes, I agree" or "No, I disagree," with no option to vote on individual chapters or articles.

Approximately 12.46 million citizens were eligible to participate in the vote. Ballots were printed in both Kazakh and Russian languages. The proposed amendments represent changes to about 84% of the text of the country's fundamental law.

Voting was conducted in person at polling stations open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, with provisions for home voting for those unable to attend due to health reasons. The final results are expected to be announced by March 21, 2026.