All polling stations will be equipped with CCTV cameras, which is an innovation in the upcoming election campaign. The Central Election Commission of Kyrgyzstan (CEC) reported.
Video recording of the elections will be conducted at all polling stations. This improves transparency, allows voters to observe the voting process, have an objective picture of what happened in the event of an election violation, and also use the recordings, if election disputes arise. All video cameras will be received on a grant basis.
The CEC emphasized that the election equipment will be updated for the upcoming elections.
«President Sadyr Japarov, by order No. 144 of July 12, 2024, instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to determine the supplier of goods, works and services for the formation of a single software and hardware complex for electronic election management with the update and modernization of electoral and server equipment and subsequent technical support for the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums,» they noted.
Electoral technologies of the election process, which have been implemented since 2015, include three groups of equipment:
- For the registration of voters — equipment for biometric identification;
- For the registration of votes — automatically reading ballot boxes (ASU);
- For the tabulation of voting results — the central server of the CEC.
An updated combined identification device (instead of five-component equipment) will be used in the upcoming local elections. It provides identification by facial geometry, fingerprint patterns, reads data from any type of national passport (including an electronic document) and has the function of printing a ballot only for identified voters.
The automated control systems with updated functionality will continue to be used, but with improved efficiency.
«Such measures in terms of technological support for elections have been developed to increase the inclusiveness, reliability and transparency of the electoral process, improve electronic election management and create a favorable environment in order to expand the implementation of citizens’ electoral rights,» the CEC added.
Ballots for the local elections will not be produced centrally at Uchkun state-owned printing house, as it was done previously. They will be printed directly at the polling stations after the voter has passed the identification procedure.
Earlier, the CEC approved an estimate of 495,718.4 million soms for the preparation and holding of elections of deputies of local councils.
The presidential decree «On the dissolution of local councils and calling the elections of deputies of local councils» was issued on September 6. At least 484 local councils are subject to dissolution. Elections of deputies of 249 local councils (list is at the link) are scheduled for November 17.
