From February 26, the 10th day of the Lunar New Year of Binh Ngo, Ho Chi Minh City will organize early voting for voters in four areas of Phuoc Thang Ward, Tam Thang Ward and Long Son Commune.

Under the plan of the Election Committee for deputies to the 16th National Assembly and deputies to the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council for the 2026-2031 term, early voting will be held in four designated polling areas in these localities.

By February 24 at the latest, polling teams in Tam Thang Ward, Phuoc Thang Ward and Long Son Commune must complete the distribution of voter cards and provide information on polling locations to voters in the four early voting areas. For voters assigned to prolonged offshore duties who cannot receive their voter cards in person, polling teams will be responsible for delivering voter cards and ballots when implementing sea-based voting.

Onshore voting will take place from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm on February 26. For Polling Area No. 4 in Tam Thang Ward, onshore voting will begin at 7:00 am on February 26 and continue until 7:00 pm on March 14, enabling officials and employees of the Vietnam-Russia joint venture Vietsovpetro and its contractors to exercise their voting rights before departing for offshore platforms, drilling rigs and maritime assignments.

For early voting at sea, polling teams will deploy mobile vessels to DK1 platforms, on-duty ships and other vessels operating offshore to conduct voting. Sea-based voting is scheduled to take place from February 26 to March 14.

Upon completion of offshore voting, members responsible for auxiliary ballot boxes must seal them and transport them back to the designated polling areas for counting and official record preparation in accordance with regulations.

In special cases, such as adverse weather or storms preventing ballot boxes from being brought ashore by March 15, vote counting may be conducted on board. Results will then be reported by telegram or telephone before the ballots, ballot boxes and official records are submitted later.

Ho Chi Minh City’s four early polling areas include:

Polling Area No. 1 in Phuoc Thang Ward, comprising Naval Flotilla 128 and Naval Flotilla 129 under the Vietnam People’s Navy. Onshore voting will be organized at the headquarters of Naval Flotilla 129, with 214 voters who are officers and soldiers of the two flotillas.

Sea-based voting will be conducted across maritime zones managed by Naval Region 2 Command. Approximately 237 voters, who are officers and soldiers assigned to 18 vessels operating before and after the early voting period, will cast ballots at sea.

Polling Area No. 2, also in Phuoc Thang Ward, includes Coast Guard Region 3 Command, Fisheries Surveillance Squadron No. 2 and the Standing Militia Squadron under the Ho Chi Minh City Command. Onshore voting will take place at the headquarters of Fisheries Surveillance Squadron No. 2, with around 85 voters.

Sea-based voting will be conducted in maritime areas bordering Vietnam and Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, and Vietnam and Cambodia. Approximately 309 voters serving on 20 vessels will participate during their offshore assignments.

Polling Area No. 3 in Long Son Commune covers the DK1 Battalion and Brigade 125 under Naval Region 2 Command. Onshore voting will be held at the headquarters of Naval Region 2 Command, with about 120 officer and soldier voters.

Sea-based voting will be conducted at 15 DK1 platforms and on approximately 14 on-duty vessels under Naval Region 2 management, as well as on fishing boats operating in nearby waters if applicable. Around 330 officers and soldiers assigned to these platforms and vessels are expected to vote.

Polling Area No. 4 in Tam Thang Ward serves the Vietnam-Russia joint venture Vietsovpetro. Onshore voting will be organized at the Vung Tau Airport area, with approximately 2,800 voters who are officials, employees and contractors working on offshore platforms, drilling rigs and maritime vessels of Vietsovpetro.

Quoc Ngoc