Early presidential elections were held in Kazakhstan on 9 June 2019 following the resignation of long-term president Nursultan Nazarbayev. Originally scheduled for 2020, seven candidates were registered to participate in the elections, including incumbent president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who had assumed the presidency three months before the elections following the resignation of Nazarbayev. Tokayev was subsequently re-elected with 71% of the vote. His closest challenger, Amirjan Qosanov of the Ult Tagdyry party, received 16%. On 12 June, Tokayev took the oath of office during a ceremony at the Palace of Independence in the capital, Nur-Sultan.
Background
was elected for a 5th term as president in the 2015 elections. He was widely expected to run again in 2020, but resigned in March 2019, stating that Senate Chair Kassym-Jomart Tokayev would take over as president for the remainder of his term. However, on 9 April, Tokayev announced that a snap election would be held on 9 June to avoid "political uncertainty". Some talks arose that Nazarbayev's daughter, Dariga, who succeeded Tokayev as the Chair of the Senate, was expected to run in the election as a way to ensure her father's legacy. However, Dariga stated that she had no plans in joining the race. On 23 April, backed by former President Nazarbayev himself, Tokayev was nominated by the ruling party Nur Otan to be its candidate for the election and became registered on 3 May, putting the rumors of Dariga's possible candidacy aside.
Electoral system
The President of Kazakhstan is elected using the two-round system; if no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the first round, a second round is held between the top two candidates.
Candidates
Nine candidates applied to the Central Election Commission to contest the elections. A record seven were registered to run, whilst one candidate withdrew and one was disqualified for not possessing sufficient knowledge of the Kazakh language.
Registered candidates
Unsuccessful nominees
Talgat Yergaliyev, a former Member of the Mazhilis. Withdrew his candidacy.
Jumatai Aliyev, Rector of Central Asian University. Rejected due to a failed Kazakh language test.
Campaign
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Tokayev became an acting president after Nazarbayev resigned from office on 20 March 2019. As a result, early elections were announced on 9 April. He was nominated by the Nur Otan on 23 April to be a presidential candidate and became registered on 3 May. Tokayev sought for continuation of Nazarbayev's policies in strengthening the nation, continuing peace, improving lives of citizens, and entering Kazakhstan into the top 30 most developed nations. Tokayev was mocked on social media for the overuse of modification of his official photos, erasing his wrinkles and double chin.
Amirjan Qosanov
Qosanov became a registered candidate on 6 May 2019 of the Ult Tagdyry party, existing since 2005. He ran on a platform in fighting against corruption, reducing the powers of a president, allowing direct elections of akims, making Kazakh economy less dependent on raw resources, and prohibiting the construction of nuclear power plants.
On 24 April 2019, Espaeva was nominated to be a presidential candidate for the Ak Zhol party. She became registered on 3 May, making her the first female in Kazakhstan's history to be on a ballot.
Debates
On 14 May 2019, a televised debate was announced between the candidates. It was held on 29 May and was broadcast live on the Khabar TV channel. The cost of the event amounted to 41 million tenge. Four presidential candidates: Jambyl Ahmetbekov, Amirjan Qosanov, Amangeldy Taspihov and Sadybek Tugel participated in the debates and the rest of the three candidates were represented by Azat Peruashev for Dania Espaeva, Ali Bektaev for Toleutai Rahymbekov, and Mäulen Äşimbaev for Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The debate was divided into three rounds. In the first round, all participants were asked about the development of the education system in Kazakhstan, in the second round about social modernization of Kazakhstan, and in the third round, the candidates were allowed to ask questions to two other participants in the debate.
Protests
Protests broke out on 9–10 June in the cities of Nur-Sultan and Almaty. The protest itself was organized by a banned opposition group the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan which is led by a former, now-exiled Kazakh banker Mukhtar Ablyazov. The protesters claimed that the election was "not free and fair". It is estimated the around 5,000 demonstrators, journalists and activists were detained by the police. The event was the first time that Kazakhstan faced protests during the elections. The election was criticized by the OSCE, saying there were no democratic standards, with peaceful protesters being detained and the reported cases of ballot box stuffing.
