The Central Election Commission (CEC) recently accredited 22 long-term observers from the Election Observation Mission of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to observe Kazakhstan’s June 9 presidential election, said CEC Member Zauresh Baimoldina at a May 13 meeting.

Having assumed the office of President March 20 per the Kazakh Constitution following former President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s resignation March 19, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced early presidential elections April 9 in a televised address to the nation.

An election observation mission typically consists of short-term and long-term observers who are citizens of OSCE participating states, excluding the country where the election is taking place. The accredited long-term observers to Kazakhstan’s presidential election include representatives from Armenia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Norway, Russia, Switzerland and the United States.

Foreign observers and international organisations observing the election must complete an accreditation process, according to Central Election Commission rules announced in April. The process is coordinated by the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which accepts applications at election2019@mfa.kz. Sixty-seven foreign observers have been accredited so far and accreditation of foreign observers will continue until 6 pm June 3.

At the CEC meeting, the commission adopted a resolution stating that states that accreditation of foreign observers is to be conducted via an application, credentials are to be issued to foreign observers and the resolution’s execution is to be overseen by Baimoldina.

International media covering the election must also register with the Kazakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs by emailing a cover letter from their publication’s editor-in-chief, a copy of a valid passport, a completed accreditation form, a 3×4 centimetre digital photo and a brief biography to accreditation2019@mfa.kz.