On August 13, a meeting of the expert platform “Sailau-2026: The Nature of the Political Campaign” was held in Almaty, organized by the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The discussion focused on public sentiment and key trends in the current election campaign, citizens’ electoral readiness, factors influencing party choice, regional specifics, televised debates, political communications, and the use of artificial intelligence in campaigning. Participants paid particular attention to the role of trust in parties and candidates, as well as the factors determining citizens’ electoral choices.
A distinctive feature of the expert platform was the participation of experts from all regions of Kazakhstan in the discussion via an online conference. This made it possible to supplement the national picture with assessments directly from the regions and to discuss differences in the nature of the election campaign and public sentiment in various parts of the country. Regional participants also actively engaged in the discussion, asking questions of the speakers and highlighting aspects of the election campaign that were relevant to their regions.
During the event, an interactive QR code survey was also conducted, in which experts and guests present in Almaty, as well as representatives from the regions, participated. Participants were asked to assess the nature of the current election campaign and party campaigning, identify the most notable features of the campaign in their regions, and determine the factors that most influence voters’ choices. The responses were analyzed and presented to the platform’s participants at the conclusion of the event, allowing for a comparison of the professional community’s assessments with the conclusions drawn during the expert presentations and discussion.
The platform’s participants included political scientists, representatives of the academic and expert communities, research and analytical centers, public figures, as well as specialists in the field of political communications and electoral processes. The event was moderated by political scientist and publisher Bakytzhan Bukharbay.
Kicking off the substantive portion of the platform, Bakytzhan Bukharbay presented an analytical overview of the electoral behavior of Kazakhstani citizens and the role of televised debates in the current election campaign.
The expert noted that between June 13 and July 27, 2026, various research organizations conducted six public opinion polls. All of them recorded a consistently high level of stated electoral readiness: between 70.3% and 75.6% of respondents reported their intention to vote. At the same time, 89.4% of those surveyed were aware, to one degree or another, of the upcoming election on August 23.
«We are seeing a fairly consistent picture: seven out of ten voters say they are willing to participate in the election. At the same time, nearly nine out of ten Kazakhstani citizens are aware, to one degree or another, of the upcoming election. This indicates a fairly high level of citizen engagement in the current election campaign,” noted B. Bukharbay.
According to B. Bukharbay, televised debates play a significant role in informing citizens and shaping their perceptions of political forces. The comparative data he presented on two broadcasts show that different television platforms are capable of engaging various segments of the population in political discussion.
The televised debate on Qazaqstan was watched by 560,000 people, while the one on Channel 7 drew 1.45 million viewers. Qazaqstan primarily attracted a young audience under the age of 24, whereas Channel 7 drew viewers over the age of 55. There was also high interest in the debates online: more than 10,000 substantive posts were recorded on social media, and tens of thousands of comments and reactions appeared on YouTube and TikTok.
According to Bakytzhan Bukharbay, open competition between political positions contributes to the development of a culture of public politics, in which rivalry among parties is based on the content of their platforms, ideas, and arguments. Debates also demonstrate to the public a model of constructive political dialogue and foster a responsible attitude among citizens toward their electoral choices.
Nurbolat Nyshanbaev, director of the School of the International Relations and Diplomacy, Turan University, and a political scientist, also analyzed the role of televised debates in the election campaign. In his view, debates allow voters to evaluate political parties not only based on their slogans and public image, but also on the quality of their arguments, their competence, their ability to respond to criticism, and their capacity to engage in open political discussion.
Aigul Sadvokasova, Director of the Institute of Philosophy, Political Science, and Religious Studies, drew attention to the dynamics of voter sentiment. According to the data presented, as the election approaches, the proportion of undecided voters is declining noticeably: from 22.6% in the first survey to 5.3% in the most recent survey. According to the expert, this may indicate a gradual consolidation of electoral preferences amid an intensifying information and campaign effort.
«Every vote counts. Participating in elections is not only the exercise of a constitutional right but also a demonstration of civic responsibility. By going to the polls, citizens determine who will represent their interests and thereby contribute to strengthening the country and its further development», – emphasized A. Sadvokasova.
Public figure Erlan Smaylov focused on the impact of artificial intelligence on election campaigns. According to him, AI is already being actively used to prepare texts, speeches, images, and audio and video content, significantly reducing the time and cost of producing campaign materials.
«Artificial intelligence is no longer just a technological novelty—it is becoming part of the national agenda, public discourse, and political competition. Along with new opportunities come new challenges related to disinformation, deepfakes, and trust in political content», – noted E. Smaylov.
According to the expert, the development of generative AI raises questions for the electoral process regarding trust, accountability for the content created, and society’s readiness for the new information environment. Under these circumstances, fostering AI literacy and critical thinking becomes not only an educational but also a socio-political challenge.
Eduard Poletayev, president and editor-in-chief of the news and analysis magazine *Mir Evrazii*, emphasized that the popularity of a party’s individual proposals does not in itself guarantee electoral support. Between a party’s platform and a voter’s decision lie trust, the candidates’ reputation, and confidence in the political team’s ability to implement its stated initiatives.
Zhenisbek Tolen, Head of the Center for Education and Social Development Sciences at the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, drew attention to the regional specifics of electoral behavior. In his view, for voters, a party is represented not only by its central leadership. At the local level, individual candidates, lawmakers, and leaders of party branches play a crucial role, as their reputations directly influence the perception of the entire political force.
At the same time, the expert emphasized that the regional electorate cannot be viewed as a homogeneous group. Even within a single region, the needs of residents in the regional capital and those in remote areas, young people and the older generation, entrepreneurs, public sector employees, and the self-employed can vary significantly.
«A region is not a single voter. It is a collection of different social groups, and a party’s success depends on how well a strong local team is able to speak to each of them in a language they understand», – emphasized Zh. Tolen.
In addition to the main speakers, expert-polemists took part in the discussion, supplementing the presentations, offering alternative assessments, and identifying factors in the election campaign that require additional attention.
Following the discussion, participants noted that the current election campaign demonstrates a high level of potential voter turnout and, at the same time, a shift in the forms of political communication. Televised debates and digital platforms are expanding opportunities to engage diverse segments of the population, and electoral choices are increasingly influenced by a combination of factors—ranging from the substance of party initiatives and trust in candidates to the quality of local campaign teams’ work and the parties’ ability to maintain an ongoing dialogue with voters.
