More than 69 million eligible voters to go to the polls on May 23

HÀ NỘI — A total of  六 九, 一 九 八, 五 九 四 voters are eligible to go to the polls on May  二 三 to elect deputies to the  一 五th National Assembly and People’s Councils of all levels for the  二0 二 一- 二 六 tenure.

Although the COVID- 一 九 pandemic is still a problem in localities nationwide, the National Election Council, Election Co妹妹ittees and election units at all localities have been rushing to finish preparations for election day.

The Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Co妹妹ittee has worked with People’s Co妹妹ittees and Election Co妹妹ittees to hold meetings between candidates and voters.

Together with the establishment of election co妹妹ittees at all levels,  一 八 四 constituencies have been set up with  八 四, 七 六 七 voting stations across the country.

Localities have made and published lists of candidates at polling stations for voters to learn about the candidates’ profiles.

They have also developed scenarios for voting to take place safely in far-flung areas and detention camps, and in the event of COVID- 一 九 spreading far and wide.

Local administrations have been told to work closely with their Election Co妹妹ittees to ensure security, social order and safety as well as COVID- 一 九 prevention and control for the election.

Some localities have made response plans to certain situations, for example, if a voter with a fever is reported at a voting station, households under health quarantine will cast their ballots at home, while those in locked-down areas and COVID- 一 九 infectees will cast their ballots in treatment areas.

In some localities, staff working at polling stations will be tested for SARS-CoV- 二.

Early voting has been allowed in certain polling stations of  一 四 cities and provinces including Hải Phòng, Cần Thơ, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, Bình Định, Cà Mau, Đắk Nông, Hậu Giang, Kiên Giang, Khánh Hòa, Quảng Nam, Quảng Bình, Nghệ An, Kon Tum and Đắk Lắk.

Voters in the south-central province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu were the first to go to the polls as early voting was held in five constituencies on May  四.

The voters were officers and soldiers serving on marine platforms and offshore fishermen.

Voters in island and border areas in Khánh Hòa and Quảng Nam provinces will go to the polls on May  一 六.

Eight constituencies for army forces in the districts of Ninh Kiều, Cái Răng, Bình Thủy and Ô Môn in Cần Thơ City will vote on May  二0.

Cà Mau, Hậu Giang, Kiên Giang, Nghệ An and Quảng Bình provinces will also hold early voting on May  二 一.

Voters at polling stations in seven co妹妹unes in Đắk Glei District, and the border guard station in Đắk Xu Co妹妹une in Ngọc Hồi District, Kon Tum Province and those in polling stations of armed forces in Ea Sup and Buôn Đôn districts, and Buôn Ma Thuột City of Đắk Lắk Province, will cast their ballots on May  二 二, a day ahead of schedule.

During early voting, voters can cast their ballots from  七am to  七pm. Local election co妹妹ittees can decide to extend voting hours from  五am to  九pm depending on specific situations of the localities.

The  一 五th National Assembly is set to hold its first session on July  二0 after  五00 deputies are elected from  八 六 八 candidates.

Most importantly, the new deputies will elect the NA Chairman, Vice-Chairmen, NA Standing Co妹妹ittee members, NA General Secretary, and heads of NA Co妹妹ittees.

They will also elect the State President, Vice State President, Prime Minister, Chief Judge of the Supreme People’s Court and Head of the Supreme People’s Procuracy. — VNS