INFORMATION ON ELECTIONS FOR THE MEMBERS OF MAJILIS OF THE PARLIAMENT OF REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

Elections for the Members of Majilis of the Republic of Kazakhstan are scheduled for September 17, 1999 in accordance with Decree of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On appointment of next elections for Members of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan" dated July 7, 1999.

Legislative basis for conduct of elections for Members of Majilis is Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Constitutional Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan" and a number of regulations issued by Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In accordance with these legislative acts Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan consists of two Chambers: Senate and Majilis acting on a regular basis. There are seventy-seven Members in Majilis. Sixty-seven Members are elected from one mandate electoral district formed in accordance with geopolitical subdivision of Republic provided equal number of voters for every district. Ten Members are elected on the basis of party slates according to system of proportional representation and territory of national election district.

In order to be elected to Majilis a citizen shall be over twenty five years of age.

In accordance with current legislation citizen acknowledged by court as disabled or imprisoned by rule of court can not be elected as a Member of Parliament.

Following persons are also ineligible for registration as a parliamentary candidate:

1. Person who have been administered punishment for corruption as administrative punishment in the course of a year;
2. Person who in the course of year prior registration was incurred a penalty for premeditated offence;
3. Person who was convicted and his conviction was not expunged in order determined by law;

The right to nominate candidates to the Majilis shall belong to duly registered local or national public associations or private citizens by self-nomination. Public associations shall have a right to nominate candidates, and political parties include in their slate individuals who are not members of the corresponding public association or party. Person included in party slate does not have a right to be nominated as a candidate of the single mandate electoral district.

Each candidate to the Majilis shall pay to the account of the Central Electoral Commission, from his own personal money, an election deposit in the amount of twenty-five times the statutory minimum monthly wage. This deposit shall be refunded to the candidate if, on the basis of the results of the election, the candidate garnered at least seven percent of the votes of voters participating in the voting. The deposit shall be also refunded to the party if, on the basis of the results of the election, the party garnered at least seven percent of the votes of voters participating in the voting. In all other cases the deposit shall be non-refundable and shall be remitted to the Republic budget.

The elected Members of the Majilis shall be the candidates who:

1) Garnered more than fifty percent of the vote in first-round voting; or
2) Garnered the greatest vote among candidates running in repeat voting; or
3) Garnered more than fifty percent of the vote in repeat voting, if running unopposed.

Elections to Majilis as a rule are a matter of much greater interest for electors in comparison with senatorial elections. Persons wishing to be registered as candidates to Majilis are much more active.

For the beginning of September there were over 600 people registered as candidates (for 77 posts in Majilis). At the same time sociologic polls show that more than 80% of citizens do not believe the possibility of fair and free elections to Majilis. In the opinion of voters, Election Commissions are dependant on local executive power bodies (their members are nominated by akims - leaders of local administrative bodies of corresponding districts, cities and usually they are associates of public institutions) and it is highly doubtful that results of elections will be objective.

Despite the OSCE sending greater number of observers and all the political parties and public associations sending their representatives to election stations, citizens still do not believe in fair count of votes.

Considering that territory of Kazakstan is huge and its population is relatively small (about 15 millions of people) equality of candidates access to voters has a great importance. In this situation equal opportunities for every candidate in reflecting his platform and program in mass media is essential. Citizens, however, express their doubt of independence and freedom of media and think that candidates to Majilis of opposition parties and public associations will have a lot less opportunities for representation than candidates supported by authorities.

As in the case elections to Senate there is almost no evidence of any campaign activity. There is no information on candidates, their platforms, no posters or propaganda. Few newspapers (mainly that of opposition) publish articles or information on different candidates and programs.