The lower house of parliament, the Mazhilis, was elected in 2021 when former leader Nursultan Nazarbayev was still in power as head of the ruling Nur Otan party, which predictably swept the vote.
Career diplomat Tokayev, 69, will want to see a new assembly loyal to him replacing a house dominated by Nazarbayev loyalists as he seeks to maintain stability in the former Soviet republic amid turbulence caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and a year after the deadliest political unrest in its history.
"This is a part of a long chain of events which began last year, and which is aimed, according to the president and his entourage, at completing a certain political transition and, after the elections, starting to build a new Kazakhstan," said political analyst Dosym Satpayev.
Tokayev formally became president in the oil-rich Central Asian nation in 2019 following the official resignation of Nazarbayev, his political patron and national leader for three decades.
But Nazarbayev retained sweeping powers even after giving up the presidency and the two leaders fell out in early 2022 when, according to Tokayev, senior security officials tried to stage a coup and remove him from power amid violent protests.
The protests, initially sparked by a fuel price rise, quickly spread to take in wider opposition to the government.
Tokayev, with the help of loyalists and key partner Russia, suppressed the protests and consolidated power, removing Nazarbayev and a number of his associates from key positions.
Tokayev, who openly defied major ally Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, secured a second term in a snap election last November, to secure his position as an independent leader.
On Sunday, Tokayev loyalists are expected to emerge dominant in parliament though he will be keen to avoid any hint of an unrepresentative political process, said Satpayev.
"Of course, Tokayev does not want to become another Lukashenko," Satpayev said referring to the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994 and has used force to suppress protests.
"He needs to stage shows like this sometimes, so what we are witnessing is a show with more characters, it looks more captivating and dynamic, but the end goal is the same, the authorities want a controlled parliament."
Some government critics are expected to win seats on Sunday, which analysts see as a useful outlet for dissenting voices.
Several opposition figures are running as independents but they will only make up 30% of the lower house, with the remaining 70% elected based on party votes.
"None of the registered parties represents opposition voters, they do not raise issues uncomfortable for the government, they do not criticise the authorities," said sociologist Serik Beyssembayev.
Tokayev quit as head of the ruling party, now rebranded as Amanat, shortly after taking over as leader last year, saying a president must be above party politics.
But Amanat is widely expected to win big on Sunday and retain its ruling party role in support of the president.
(Editing by Robert Birsel)
By Mariya Gordeyeva and Olzhas Auyezov
