Polling places for casting ballots in the snap presidential election have opened in most regions of Kazakhstan.
The vote will conclude at 2000 hrs local time (14:00 p.m. GMT). In the West Kazakhstan, Atyrau, Aktobe and Mangystau Regions polling stations will open and close an hour later due to the time difference.
Former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev resigned on March 20 after almost 30 years in office and appointed Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who used to serve as the chairman of the upper chamber of the Kazakh parliament, to his post until the early presidential election.
As many as seven people were registered as presidential candidates, including Tokayev, who was nominated by the ruling Nur Otan party headed by Nazarbayev.
Kazakh president is elected for five years. A candidate must gain more than 50 percent of the vote to win the election.
If none of the candidates manage to get more than 50 percent of the votes, a second round of the election should be scheduled.
Voting in early presidential election starts in Kazakhstan
