CENTRAL COMMISSION FOR HOLDING ELECTIONS AND REFERENDUMS IN TURKMENISTAN
In our country under the wise leadership of our Hero Arkadag and our Hero Arkadagly Serdar, as a result of large-scale reforms, activities of the electoral system, like all other systems are developing at modern level.
Based on the Constitution of Turkmenistan and the Electoral Code of Turkmenistan, which embody generally recognized international democratic norms for holding elections, the electoral rights of citizens in our country ensured in accordance with democratic principles.
The work carried out during the election campaign, constantly being improved using the capabilities of innovative digital technologies.
In accordance with the instruction of the esteemed President of Turkmenistan – Hero Arkadagly Serdar given during his speech at the first meeting of deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan of the seventh convocation on April 6, 2023, regarding the preparation of the draft Law of Turkmenistan “On the Unified State Register of Voters”, the Law of Turkmenistan “On the Unified State Register of Voters” was adopted on June 28, 2025. The law will enter into force on January 1, 2026.
This Law consists of VI chapters and 34 articles and defines the legal and organizational basis for the creation and maintenance of the Unified state register of citizens of Turkmenistan, who have right to vote in elections and referendums.
The Unified State Register of Voters, which is in effect permanently, regardless of the dates of elections or referendums, periodically updated every six months.
The State Register – is a centralized digital information system created to ensure state registration of voters, containing information stipulated by the Law on Voters and intended for the storage, processing and using of information.
The main functions of the State Register are:
– organization and maintenance of records of personal data of voters;
– compilation of voter lists for elections of the President of Turkmenistan, deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, members of the Halk Maslahaty of the velayats, cities with the rights of a velayat and state significance, etraps, cities with the rights of etraps, Gengeshes, as well as for holding national and local referendums.
The following concepts use in certain articles of the Law (terms):
State Register database – a set of centralized data designed to ensure the completeness of the entry of data on voters into the State Register, their accuracy, storage and maintenance in a uniform manner using an electronic information exchange system;
Data storage – maintaining the State Register in a database containing complete and reliable information about voters, in a unified form in the manner prescribed by Law, using the information and communication technology system and technical means;
Updating – updating data in the State Register – ensuring periodic (updates every six months) or additional entry of data (introduction or deletion of records, changes or clarification of personal data) into the State Register database within the timeframes and in the manner established by the Law;
Use of the State Register database – personal data in the State Register may be used exclusively for the following purposes:
– compilation of preliminary lists of voters at polling stations;
– clarification of preliminary lists of voters and compilation of final (revised) lists of voters at polling stations;
– provision of statistical information on the number of voters in the relevant territory;
– verification of the accuracy of information about citizens of Turkmenistan, who took part in meetings during the nomination of representatives to election commissions, candidates for the relevant elections, as well as during the appointment of national observers;
Personal data of the voter – information about the voter’s surname, first name, patronymic, date of birth, place of birth, gender, nationality;
Voter’s electoral address – information about the permanent or primary place of residence (registration) or temporary place of stay (registration);
Personal data determining the place and conditions of voting of the voter – the number of the polling station to which the voter belongs, information about the impossibility of visiting the polling station in person for a valid reason (health condition, disability).
Also, in the Law, the Central commission for holding elections and referendums in Turkmenistan is the manager of the State Register;
In etraps and cities with etrap rights, special groups created under the local executive authority – hyakimlik is the maintainers of the State Register.
The administrator of the State Register shall monitor compliance with the requirements of this Law in the formation and maintenance of the State Register, the integrity of the database and the completeness and accuracy of the personal data of the State Register.
The maintainers of the State Register exercise their powers on the territory of the relevant etrap, city with etrap rights and ensure the maintenance of the State Register in the manner established by the Law and the Administrator of the State Register.
The main goal of the adoption of the Law of Turkmenistan “On the Unified State Register of Voters” is to modernize the capabilities of the digital system in the electoral system, to conduct elections in our country openly and transparently, in accordance with generally recognized international legal norms.
In the new historical period of development of Independent and permanently Neutral Turkmenistan with new steps, elections held in our country will become a triumph of the national democratic principles of the Turkmen people.
During the Revival of a new epoch of a powerful state, we wish our Hero Arkadag and our Hero Arkadagly Serdar, who are implementing exemplary measures to raise the elections held in our beloved Motherland to an exemplary level and modernize the work of the electoral system, good health, long life, high honors and success in their great deeds of universal significance.
Annadurdyyev Amangeldi,
Secretary of the Central commission for holding elections and referendums in Turkmenistan.