(23 February 2026 | Source: press office of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan)
Details of the financing for the republican referendum have been published. The majority of the funds have been allocated to the Central Election Commission (CEC), with a portion going towards the operation of overseas polling stations via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
HOW THE BUDGET IS DISTRIBUTED
20.78 billion tenge has been allocated from the government reserve to conduct the republican referendum. Of this, 20.6 billion tenge will go to the Central Election Commission (CEC).
- 15.69 billion tenge (around 75%) will cover the remuneration of 71,044 commission members across the country;
- 4.96 billion tenge (around 25%) will be spent on organising the referendum: printing ballot papers, information campaigns, and equipping polling stations.
Separately, 123.6 million tenge has been allocated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The funds are intended for sending staff on assignment to 80 overseas polling stations in 62 countries.
SCALE OF THE VOTE
There will be a total of 10,413 polling stations, with 12.4 million citizens registered on the electoral roll, who will be able to vote on 15 March from 7:00 to 20:00.
Earlier, CEC member Mikhail Bortnik reported that the costs of holding the referendum could amount to around 20.8 billion tenge. As such expenses were not provided for in the republican budget for 2026, the funds have been allocated from the government reserve.