Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Polling stations opened in Kazakhstan on Sunday and voting began for presidential candidates.

On the territory of Kazakhstan, all 10,033 polling stations were opened for voting in the early presidential elections. Mukhtar Yerman, secretary of the Central Electoral Commission of the Republic, spoke about this at a briefing.

The turnout in the snap presidential elections in Kazakhstan, as of 10.00 (07.00 Moscow time), was 23.37%, said Shavkhat Utemisov, a member of the Republic’s Central Election Commission.

"According to the data provided by regional, cities of republican significance, capital commissions, as of 10.00 on 20 November, ballots were received by 23.37% of the total number of citizens included in the lists," Utemisov said at a CEC meeting on Sunday. Most voters voted in the Karaganda region - 32.27%, least of all in Alma-Ata - 8.42%. Almost 12 million Kazakhstanis have the right to vote in elections. He clarified that 17 polling stations have also started working at the representative offices of the republic in other states. Another 51 sites abroad will open later due to the difference in time zones.

In most parts of Kazakhstan, voting will end at 20.00 local time (17.00 Moscow time), polling stations in the western regions will close an hour later.

The ballots included the names of six candidates. In addition to the current head of state, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, they are a representative of the opposition National Social Democratic Party Nurlan Auesbayev, human rights activist Saltanat Tursynbekova from the Kazakh Mothers - the Way to Traditions association, economist Meiram Kazhyken from the Amanat trade union community, head of the Farmers Association Zhiguli Dayrabaev and public figure Karakat Abden from the National Alliance of Professional Social Workers.