According to preliminary results of the elections to the Senate of Kazakhstan, the voter turnout made 98.3% as of June 28 morning.

The Central Election Commission of the country said 16 members of the Senate are being elected today.

One Senator from each 16 regions of Kazakhstan will be elected. 38 candidates are on the ballot.

Senate of is the upper house of Kazakhstan’s bicameral Parliament. The Senate is composed of elected members – two from each region, the city of republican importance (Almaty) and the capital city (Astana) at joint sessions of the members of all representative bodies of respective regions, city of the republican importance and the capital city of the Republic.

Members of the Senate are elected on the basis of indirect suffrage by secret ballot. Half of elected members of the Senate are up for election every three years.

Fifteen members are appointed by the President of Kazakhstan with the view to ensure representation for all the diverse national, cultural components of society.

The term of office for the members of the Senate is 6 years.