Kazakh EC says Tokayev has won presidential election with 70.76 per cent votes

Incumbent President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has won the presidential election in Kazakhstan with 70.76 per cent of the votes, according to preliminary results shared by the country's election commission on Tuesday.

The preliminary results indicated that Tokayev won a clear victory among the seven candidates. He also held the lead the nationwide exit poll results, released earlier in the day, in which he was expected to secure 70.13 per cent of the votes.

They showed that Amirzhan Kossanov of the Ult Tagdyry United National Patriotic Movement received 16.02 per cent votes, Daniya Yespayeva of the Ak Zhol Democratic Party bagged 5.2 per cent and Toleutai Rakhimbekov of the Auyl (Village) Party secured 3.2 per cent.

Amangeldy Taspikhov of the Kazakh Trade Unions Federation got 2.07 per cent, Zhambyl Akhmetbekov of the Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan 1.82 per cent, and Sadybek Tugel of the Uly Dala Kyrandary (Eagles of the Great Steppe) Public Association 0.92 per cent of the votes.

The ballot counting was carried out within 12 hours after the voting concluded. The polls were held on Sunday.

The turnout was 77.4 per cent, with 9,261,460 out of the total 11,960,364 registered voters exercising their franchise, including 160,203 first time voters.

The country's 9,968 polling stations were made accessible to 12,061 voters with special needs, including 3,502 electors requiring wheelchair access, 4,361 with visual impairment and 3,425 with hearing impairment.

The final results are expected to be released next week.

The 2019 Kazakh presidential election holds significance as it paves the way for the first time in almost thirty years for a new candidate coming to power.

Tokayev was the chosen successor of former leader Nursultan Nazarbayev who had served as the president since the country's independence in 1992 until his resignation in March this year.

After Nazarbayev's resignation, the president's post was held by Tokayev, who was earlier the Speaker of the Senate (Upper House).