International election observation is continuing in Astana. Ambassador Vincent Piket, Head of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Election Observation Mission, is observing the first Kurultai election at a polling station in the Kazakh capital on August 23, DKNews.kz reports.
On election day, Piket is also available to answer journalists’ questions about the mission’s mandate, structure and activities during both the pre-election period and the voting itself.
Vincent Piket visits polling station No. 129 in Astana
The head of the mission is observing voting at polling station No. 129, located at the National Academic Library at 11 Dostyk Street in Astana. The media event was scheduled for 11:00 a.m. local time.
His visit is part of the broader work carried out by international observers during Kazakhstan’s election.
The OSCE/ODIHR mission follows the electoral process beyond individual polling stations, examining how the election is administered and how established procedures are implemented throughout the different stages.
Observers are following the full electoral process
International observation does not end with a visit to a polling station.
Observers follow key stages of the process, including voting and the procedures that take place after polling closes. This is why the mission’s official conclusions are formed only after it has had an opportunity to observe the electoral process as a whole.
The ODIHR announcement specifically states that Vincent Piket will not provide an assessment of the election during his visit to the polling station. The mission must first be able to observe the full electoral process before presenting its initial findings and conclusions.
This approach separates impressions from an individual polling station from the mission’s formal professional assessment.
First findings will be presented on August 24
The next stage of international observation will come after election day.
According to the ODIHR announcement, the mission’s first findings and conclusions are due to be presented at a press conference in Astana on Monday, August 24.
For Kazakhstan’s first Kurultai election, international observation therefore covers not only the voting itself but the broader electoral process that follows.
Earlier, we reported on the international observers monitoring Kazakhstan’s first Kurultai election and the scale of the observation mission deployed for the August 23 vote.
