The Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan of 1995 defined free elections as the fundamental principle of the organization of state power, and the people as the bearer of sovereignty and the only source of state power. The Republic of Kazakhstan is a unitary state with a presidential form of government.
Democratic elections are competitive, periodic and representative elections in which citizens with broad freedom elect their representatives to power structures on an alternative basis. Competitive elections ensure that different political parties and candidates participate in the elections. All of them enjoy freedom of speech, Assembly, movement, and all that is necessary to ensure that their political views are heard and that they can present alternative candidates to voters. The legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan provides for the periodicity of elections, representation of various social groups of the population in government bodies, and openness and transparency of the activities of electoral bodies.
Article 33 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan guarantees the right to elect and be elected to state and local self-government bodies, as well as to participate in the Republican referendum, to citizens of the Republic who have reached the age of 18, regardless of their origin, social, official and property status, gender, race, nationality, language, attitude to religion, beliefs, place of residence or any other circumstances. Citizens who have been declared incompetent by the court or who are held in places of deprivation of liberty by a court sentence have no right to elect, be elected, or participate in the Republican referendum.
