{"faq_id":"24276469-2334-47b1-8528-b2981042dcd7","code":"referendum-turnout-threshold","kind":"faq","canonical_slug":"referendum-turnout-threshold","section":{"id":12,"code":"referendum","slug":"referendum","title":"Referendum"},"lang":"en","question":"How the Referendum Turnout Threshold Works","short_answer":"A referendum requires participation above 50%, and the “Yes” option must prevail in at least two thirds of the regions. Final turnout on March 15, 2026 was 73.12%, so the participation threshold was met. A repeat referendum cannot be held for at least one year.","blocks":{"answer_html":"<h2>Why turnout matters</h2>\n<p>A referendum is not simply a contest among those who happened to vote. Because it concerns the whole country, participation itself becomes part of the legitimacy of the result.</p>\n<p>That is why a minimum turnout requirement is important. It helps to:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>strengthen the legitimacy of the result</li>\n<li>prevent major state decisions from being made on the basis of very low participation</li>\n<li>show that the outcome reflects meaningful public involvement</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>How the threshold works</h2>\n<p>If the legally required level of turnout is not reached, then:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>voting may still have taken place</li>\n<li>but the legal result may be considered insufficient</li>\n<li>and the proposed decision may fail to take effect</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Why this is especially important for constitutional questions</h2>\n<p>Constitutional questions should not normally be decided by a tiny and accidental portion of the electorate. A turnout requirement helps ensure that a constitutional decision is backed by broad civic participation.</p>\n<h2>Is turnout alone enough</h2>\n<p>No. Usually, two elements matter:</p>\n<ol>\n<li>A sufficient number of voters must participate.</li>\n<li>A sufficient majority must support one option.</li>\n</ol>\n<p>So both <strong>participation</strong> and <strong>support</strong> matter.</p>\n<h2>Historical and final figures</h2>\n<ul>\n<li>1995 – turnout 90%</li>\n<li>2022 – turnout <strong>68%</strong></li>\n<li>2026 – final turnout was <strong>73.12%</strong>, so the participation threshold was met</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Practical meaning</h2>\n<p>A turnout threshold encourages citizens not to treat participation as irrelevant. In a referendum, choosing not to participate can affect whether the entire process reaches legal effectiveness.</p>\n","facts_html":"<ul>\n<li>A referendum requires both turnout above 50% and majority support</li>\n<li>Turnout thresholds strengthen legitimacy</li>\n<li>They prevent fundamental decisions from resting on very low participation</li>\n<li>Final turnout on March 15, 2026 was 73.12% – the participation threshold was met</li>\n<li>Participation itself is part of the democratic meaning of a referendum</li>\n</ul>\n","what_not_change_html":"","where_detailed_html":"","misconceptions_html":""},"updated_at":"2026-07-13T00:00:00+00:00","article_refs":[{"number":35,"title":"Citizen Participation in Referendum"},{"number":92,"title":"Turnout and Regional Threshold"}],"entity_links":[{"type":"constitutional_article","number":35,"label":"Article 35","title":"Citizen Participation in Referendum","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-35"},{"type":"constitutional_article","number":92,"label":"Article 92","title":"Turnout and Regional Threshold","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-92"}],"source_records":[{"id":"referendum-results-2026","type":"referendum_authority","url":"https://election.gov.kz/rus/news/releases/index.php?ID=10110","title":"Preliminary official results of the March 15, 2026 national referendum","publisher":"Central Referendum Commission of Kazakhstan","checked_at":"2026-07-16","reviewed_at":"2026-07-18","checked_at_label":"16 July 2026"}],"verified_claims":[],"implementation_status":null,"source_schema_records":[{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Preliminary official results of the March 15, 2026 national referendum","url":"https://election.gov.kz/rus/news/releases/index.php?ID=10110","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Central Referendum Commission of Kazakhstan"},"dateModified":"2026-07-16"}],"source_citation_urls":["https://election.gov.kz/rus/news/releases/index.php?ID=10110"]}