The projected cost of organizing a nationwide referendum on Kazakhstan’s proposed new Constitution stands at 20.8 billion tenge (KZT), or roughly $42 million at the current exchange rate.

The estimate was announced during a press briefing by Mikhail Bortnik, a member of the Central Election Commission (CEC), The Caspian Post reports, citing The Times of Central Asia (TCA).

Bortnik noted that the proposed budget is still under consideration by the Ministry of Finance, with the final figure to be confirmed later. The referendum expenses were not included in the country’s approved republican budget for 2026. Instead, the necessary funds are expected to be drawn from the government’s reserve.

According to preliminary calculations, about 75% of the total allocation will go toward compensating members of precinct election commissions responsible for administering and conducting the vote.

CEC representative Azamat Aimanakumov stated that 12,416,759 citizens are eligible to take part in the referendum. Authorities plan to open 10,413 polling stations nationwide. Of these, 9,779 will operate at voters’ registered places of residence, while 634 will be set up at temporary locations. This includes 82 polling stations abroad across 64 countries to facilitate voting by citizens overseas.

Polling station commissions are scheduled to receive official voter lists on February 22. Voters will be informed of their designated polling locations and voting times between February 27 and March 4. Ballots are expected to be distributed to polling stations between March 12 and 14. March 14 has been declared a day of silence, during which all campaigning activities must cease. The referendum itself is set to take place on March 15, 2026.

CEC Deputy Chairman Mukhtar Erman said invitations to observe the referendum have been sent to relevant institutions in more than 30 countries, including European and American nations, major Asian states, and members of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will issue separate invitations to international organizations. The accreditation process for foreign observers will conclude on March 9.

The draft of the new Constitution has been published on the website of Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court. In accordance with Article 94 of the proposed text, if approved by voters, the new Constitution will come into force on July 1, 2026. On that same date, the current Constitution will cease to be valid.