Over 80% of Kazakh voters back constitutional changes, exit poll suggests

Exit poll results released after Kazakhstan's national referendum on Sunday suggest overwhelming support for proposed constitutional amendments, The Astana Times reported on Monday, citing multiple surveys.

As many as 86.7% of participating voters supported the changes, with the voter turnout estimated to be 75.3%, according to a survey by the Eurasian Institute for Integration, the Kazakh newspaper reported.

Referring to another exit poll conducted by the Institute for Comprehensive Social Research – Astana, the newspaper reported that 87.4% of voters were in favor of the proposed constitutional changes.

Kazakhstan held a national referendum on Sunday, asking voters whether they approved or disapproved of amendments affecting 84% of the central Asian country's constitution.

According to the Kazakh newspaper, the amendments range from strengthening human rights protections based on the principle that the individual is the state's highest value, to enshrining the legal status of the Constitutional Court in the constitution, as well as establishing a People's Council of Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan opened 10,388 polling stations across the country and the voting concluded at 8 p.m. Astana time, it reported.

It added that 71 polling stations were opened at Kazakh diplomatic missions in 54 countries, allowing 14,380 citizens abroad to participate in the referendum. Voting continues at Kazakhstan's diplomatic missions abroad, with the Kazakhstan Consulate General in San Francisco closing last at 8 a.m. Astana time on Monday.

As of 8 p.m., 9,126,850 citizens had received ballots, representing 73.24% of registered voters nationwide, The Astana Times reported, citing figures released by the Central Referendum Commission.

The official results are expected to be announced after the Central Election Commission completes the vote count.