The election of deputies to the 14th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for the 2016-2021 tenure on May 22 is truly a festival, enthusiastically joined by the entire people.

Officers in Gia Lai province voting on May 22.

The election is the largest ever in scale with over 69 million voters across the country casting their votes to pick up the most competent candidates, who will represent them at a 500-seat National Assembly, as well as People’s Councils at all levels nationwide.

Up to 63,312,495 voters, or 95.84 percent, went to the polls by 5 pm, as updated by the National Election Council’s Office.

Statistics from the office showed that most of the localities nationwide saw the voting rate of over 90 percent.

The central province of Thua Thien Hue topped the list with 99.93 percent, followed by Ha Giang with 99.88 percent, Hoa Binh 99.75 percent, and Lai Chau 99.7 percent, all in the northern region.

According to the office, 32,115 of the 91,476 constituencies nationwide saw the voting rate hitting 100 percent.

This is the first time the votes will be counted publicly, said Nguyen Hanh Phuc, NA Secretary General and Chief of the National Election Council’s Office

Taking place following the successful 12 th National Party Congress, the election generated a firm belief in society that the country’s national construction and defence policy was soundly established.

As guided by the 2013 Constitution and the 2015 Election Law, this year’s general election worked to ensure the National Assembly represents the national great unity, democracy expansion is achieved and people exercise their right as masters of the country. And, it was evidenced by the number of candidates representing all walks of life, ethnic groups, religions, and ages, and a rise in self-nominations.

Through their ballots, voters displayed their sense of responsibility and their basic rights and obligations as prescribed in the 2013 Constitution.

Many voters in mountainous, island, and disaster-hit areas went to the polls from an early time. In Bac Me district of northern mountainous Ha Giang province, 94.36 percent of voters cast their votes as of 9am, while all voters in Lin hamlet, Trung Ly commune, Muong Lat border district of central Thanh Hoa province went to the polls as of 7:50am.

Localities which are still struggling against severe droughts and saline intrusion also reported high voting rates, like southern Hau Giang with 84.12 percent, Central Highlands Dak Lak province with 80 percent, and southern Soc Trang with 78.98 percent as recorded at 11am.

For those who are in inconvenient circumstances like patients at hospitals, the ballot boxes were brought to their beds.

This is the first time people who are in temporary detention or undergo compulsory drug detoxification can cast their votes.

In any election, the number of voters is a hallmark as it measures people’s interest in the State and how it is capable to actualise their aspirations.

The election on May 22, 2016 proved that voters across the countries, regardless of their social backgrounds and religions, exercised their citizen right and accomplished their duty to the country.

It can be said the election to the 14 th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for the 2016-2021 tenure is a success.

Looking forward, voters can hope that “those who are elected to the National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils will do their utmost serving the country and people and will soundly perform their responsibilities as prescribed by the Constitution and law,” as said Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Leaders join voters in general election

Party, State, National Assembly, Government and Fatherland Front leaders on May 22 joined voters nationwide in exercising their citizen right and duty to elect deputies to the 14th legislature and all-level People’s Councils for 2016-2021.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong was one of the first voters at the polling station No. 3 in Nguyen Du ward, Hai Ba Trung district, Hanoi, to cast his ballot at 7a.m.

The Party leader told reporters after the voting that he and voters nationwide hope the elected deputies will devote themselves to the people and the nation, and fulfill their responsibilities and obligations prescribed in the Constitution.

He stressed the need for the NA and People’s Councils to outstandingly perform their functions as people-elected agencies stipulated in the Constitution and the law.

“The NA must fulfill its responsibilities as the top legislative body, the highest representative organ of the people and the supreme State power body, performing its functions of law-making, supervision and deciding on the country’s major issues,” the leader said.

He noted that the 14 th general election has the largest ever scale with more than 69 million voters who will elect 500 deputies to the 14 th legislature and 322,966 to People’s Councils at all levels for the 2016-2021 tenure.

Meanwhile, at the polling station No. 8 in Nhan Chinh ward of Hanoi’s Thanh Xuan district, President Tran Dai Quang cast his ballot at 7a.m.

Expressing his happiness and honour to exercise a citizen’s right and duty, the State leader said this election is significant to building, consolidating and perfecting a socialist rule-of-law State of the people, by the people and for the people, meeting requirements of the nation’s industrialisation, modernisation and international integration.

He noted his hope that voters nationwide will select the most competent and virtuous deputies who can represent their will, aspirations and right to mastery.

NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan was also among the first voters to cast her ballot at the polling station No. 4 in Vinh Phuc ward, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his spouse joined voters at the polling station No. 8, Vinh Bao town, Vinh Bao district, the northern port city of Hai Phong during the election.

He said this is the country’s most important political event when citizens exercise their right an duty, voicing his wish that the election will contribute to perfecting the State apparatus in order to successfully actualise the Resolution of the 12 th National Party Congress from the central to grassroots levels.

Hai Phong has more than 1.46 million voters who will elect nine deputies to the NA, 69 to the municipal People’s Council, 524 to the district People’s Councils and 5,795 to the communal People’s Councils.

President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan cast his vote at the polling station No. 97 in Ward 15, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City.

Vo Van Thuong, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and head of the Committee’s Information and Education Commission cast his ballot at the polling station No. 82 in Ward 15, Phu Nhuan district, HCM City.

Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh performed his citizen right at the polling station No. 115 in ward 11, Tan Binh district, HCM City.

Former President Truong Tan Sang, former Prime Ministers Phan Van Khai and Nguyen Tan Dung and former permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Le Hong Anh also cast their ballots at polling stations in HCM City.

Over 30,000 detainees go to the polls

Over 30,000 detainees nationwide cast ballots to elect deputies to the 14th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2016-2021 tenure on May 22, according to the Ministry of Public Security’s General Department of Criminal Enforcement and Judicial Assistance.

In Hanoi’s detention centre No.1, nearly 3,000 went to the polls.

Detainee Tran Thi Thu said materials about the election and the list of candidates with their profiles were sent to detainees before the election, making it easier for them to choose the most capable ones to the legislature, the highest representative organ of the people and the supreme State power body.

Detainee Pham Hong Thanh expressed his delight that the Party and State respect and protect citizens’ right to election and other legitimate rights and interests.

Maj. Gen Dinh Van Toan, Deputy Director of Hanoi’s public security agency said all officers and soldiers, particularly those working in detention centres, have been educated about the new Law on Election as well as made thorough preparations for the event, ensuring that all detainees are able to exercise their citizen right and duty.

VNA