In the vibrant atmosphere of the Election Day, the festive decorations and the people's enthusiasm have truly merged into a national celebration, said Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly (NA) and member of the National Election Council (NEC) Nguyen Thi Thanh.
Talking to the press at the NEC Office, Thanh said that at exactly 7am on March 15, polling stations nationwide officially opened. Many locations commenced as early as 5am. Specifically, central Gia Lai and southern Tay Ninh provinces saw early starts in many places, including over 1,000 polling stations in Gia Lai opening their doors at 5am.
The opening ceremonies were conducted with solemnity, safety, and strict adherence to protocol, reflecting the spirit of a "national festival", she noted, affirming that the opening procedures seriously followed the NEC guidelines, from the briefing on voting rules to the inspection of ballot boxes.
Thanh cited local authorities as reporting that by 10am, nine provinces had posted a turnout rate of over 50%, including the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai nearing 70%, while many areas had exceeded 40%.
Nationwide, the average turnout had reached 40% by around 10am, statistics show.
She said incumbent and former Party and State leaders, along with local officials, have cast ballots at their respective constituencies.
The NA Vice Chairwoman shared that she was deeply moved when learning of Duong Thi Sao, a 109-year-old voter in My Thuy commune, the central province of Quang Tri, participating in the election opening ceremony and casting the first ballot alongside local leaders.
Among young voters, Pham Minh Hoang in Constituency No. 12 of northern Hai Phong city will certainly never forget this day. Casting his first vote today is a unique "birthday gift" as he turns 18. Exercising his civic duty on such a significant national day is a beautiful milestone, according to Thanh.
It feels as though the elements—"favourable weather, geographical convenience, and human harmony"—have aligned, she went on, adding that despite rain in the northern region on March 14 afternoon, the weather today is beautiful, which is coupled with the decorations and the joy of citizens flocking to polling stations to make March 15 a true "national festival" and a memorable day./.
