Today, November 30, at 8:00 AM local time, polling stations opened in Kyrgyzstan for the early elections to the Jogorku Kenesh.
At a briefing broadcast live on NTRK, the Chairman of the Central Election Commission, Tynchtyk Shainazarov, highlighted the details of the voting process.
According to him, there are 2,492 polling stations operating in the republic, as well as 27 remote voting stations and 100 stations for citizens living abroad.
“For the first time in our country, remote voting is being implemented, allowing citizens to participate in the elections without prior application,” noted the CEC chairman.
He added that 27 of these stations are located in areas with a high concentration of people: large markets, shopping centers, medical institutions, as well as in remote areas, including places like Kumtor, Kara-Keche, Jeruy, and Bozymchak.
Shainazarov emphasized that this approach ensures voting opportunities for voters who are traveling, working, or receiving medical treatment, which is an important step towards improving the accessibility and transparency of the electoral process.
It has been reported that voting abroad has already actively begun. The first polling stations opened in the Far East of Russia, ahead of Bishkek by 4-6 hours.
Then voting started in East Asian countries, including Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, and Mongolia, where the time difference is 2-3 hours.
In countries with a 1-hour difference, voting is also ongoing. In some countries, polling stations will open later, including North America, where the difference can reach 11-14 hours.
According to T. Shainazarov, the final voter list includes 4,294,243 citizens.
In anticipation of the voting, on November 29, outdoor voting was organized for those who, due to health reasons or other circumstances, could not come to the polling station.
According to the head of the CEC, 10,335 applications were submitted at 1,332 precinct election commissions, and 9,318 voters took advantage of this opportunity. “All procedures were carried out in accordance with the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic,” he noted.
Shainazarov also reported that 460 candidates are participating in the early elections for deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh, of which 271 are men and 189 are women.
“Throughout the day, we will regularly inform the public about the progress of voting. The CEC will provide operational data on voter turnout live every two hours, and information will be updated on our official website every hour,” he added.
Polling stations will remain open until 8:00 PM local time.
Shainazarov noted that important steps have been taken this year to enhance the accessibility of the electoral process, thanks to remote voting stations that provide the opportunity to vote in almost any situation.
He urged voters to exercise their constitutional right and make their choice, emphasizing that the future of the country depends on the activity of each citizen. “Each of us bears responsibility,” he noted.
The head of the CEC also reminded about the principle of “one voter — one vote,” warning about the consequences of incorrectly filling out ballots.
“May this day pass peacefully and organized, be a testament to the aspiration of the people of Kyrgyzstan for an open and responsible choice,” concluded T. Shainazarov.
