Flags and flowers adorned the area in front of the Khánh Hoà Provincial People's Committee building in a magnificent display. — VNA/VNS Photo

KHÁNH HOÀ — Khánh Hoà Province is pressing ahead with preparations for the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly (NA) and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term, keeping to schedule and building firm groundwork for a safe, democratic and law-compliant vote.

The central province will elect 12 deputies to the 16th NA, including seven who live and work locally and five nominated by central authorities. The National Election Council has released a list of 20 candidates running across four constituencies.

At the People’s Council level, 67 deputies will be elected from 108 candidates, while 1,392 deputies will be chosen at the commune level.

Agencies responsible for nominations have sought to maintain a balanced structure while upholding quality standards, avoiding compromises on either criteria or representativeness requirements.

From February 26 to March 14, the province will prioritise voter meetings and election campaigning in line with election law and guidance from central authorities.

The provincial Election Committee reported that communications efforts have been stepped up to create a high-profile election period; brief biographies of candidates for the 16th NA and People’s Councils at all levels printed; and ballot boxes, candidate profiles, regulations and voter cards distributed to localities. Materials will also be delivered ahead of time to early voting areas in the Trường Sa special zone.

Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee and head of the provincial Election Committee Trần Phong noted that the successful 14th National Party Congress has ushered in a new development phase with higher ambitions and a longer-term vision.

Against this backdrop, Khánh Hoà is intensifying preparations for the upcoming elections, with ballots cast by voters in Trường Sa carrying particular symbolic significance as an expression of citizens’ right to mastery on the nation’s frontline outposts.

Province-wide, 66 election steering committees and 66 election committees have been established, alongside support teams and subcommittees, including four NA election committees, 19 provincial People’s Council election committees and 387 commune-level committees. A total of 1,123 polling stations have been approved across 65 communes, wards and special zones, with voter lists publicly posted for review.

So far, no complaints or denunciations related to the election process have been recorded in Khánh Hoà, Phong said. — VNA/VNS