Astana: Kazakhstan has opened more than 10,400 polling stations for the first election to the country's new 145-seat unicameral legislature, the Kurultai. Polling stations across the country began operations at 7:00 am local time (0200 GMT) on Sunday and are scheduled to close at 8:00 pm (0300 GMT). Some polling stations at military facilities, shift-worker settlements, continuous-production facilities, and specialized institutions opened an hour earlier.

According to TRTworld.com, Kazakh citizens can also cast their votes at 79 polling stations located at diplomatic missions in 61 countries. However, voting has been suspended in Iran and Ukraine due to security concerns, and no polling station was established at the Kazakh Embassy in Ethiopia owing to the absence of registered Kazakh citizens there.

The election is being conducted under a new constitution adopted this year, which replaced Kazakhstan's previous bicameral parliament with a single-chamber legislature comprising 145 deputies. Voters are choosing among seven parties-Adilet, the Nationwide Social Democratic Party, Baitak, the Peoples Party of Kazakhstan, Auyl, Ak Zhol, and Respublica-as well as a "none of the above" option. The new Kurultai will be elected entirely through party lists, moving away from the previous mixed system of party-list and single-mandate elections. Parties must secure more than 5% of the vote to gain entry into parliament.

First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Erlan Karin described the election as a crucial step in Kazakhstan's national reset. "These elections are not ordinary elections. These elections are truly of historic importance because the next stage of the national reset begins after the adoption of the new Constitution," Karin stated to reporters in Astana. He emphasized that the election would inject fresh momentum into Kazakhstan's political transformation and modernization.

Kazakh police were put on heightened alert for election day, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Shyngys Alekeshev. He confirmed that all polling stations had been inspected for security and were under round-the-clock protection. Authorities reported a stable situation, with no major public-order violations occurring. However, prosecutors identified eight violations of election legislation during the campaign period, including three cases of illegal election-related opinion polling and five campaign violations.

The Central Election Commission reported a voter turnout of 17.96 percent three hours after polling stations opened nationwide. Approximately 12.6 million voters are registered for this pivotal election.