Voters in Nguyễn Trãi Ward of Hải Phòng City are checking the list of candidates. — VNA/VNS Photo

HẢI PHÒNG — Nguyễn Trãi Ward, the largest ward in Hải Phòng City, is busily preparing for the upcoming election with creative and safe methods, turning the process into a festival for all citizens.

Among the city’s 114 commune-level administrative units, Nguyễn Trãi covers over 76sq.km, most of it hilly and mountainous, with a sparse population of 16,000 across 17 ethnic groups. The local government has been actively preparing to ensure progress and intensify dissemination, encouraging people of all ethnic groups to pay close attention to the election day and eagerly anticipate this great national event.

With more than a month to go until the election of representatives to the National Assembly and People’s councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term, the main roads leading to the Nguyễn Trãi Ward headquarters and several residential areas have been decorated with National and Party flags, along with banners and slogans welcoming the event.

Lê Văn Khoa, vice chairman of the Nguyễn Trãi Ward People’s Committee, said that, following the guidelines of the National Election Committee, the ward had set up and issued plans and sub-committees to direct the elections to household groups.

The number of representatives to be elected to the People’s Council of Nguyễn Trãi Ward for the 2026-2031 term is 15. The ward’s Election Committee has received 27 applications for election to the People’s Council at ward level. All applications are complete and valid. The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nguyễn Trãi Ward has carried out all steps in accordance with proper procedures, Khoa said.

The ward has 23 polling stations, 20 of which are in cultural centres and the remaining three at military units stationed in the area. For the cultural centre stations, the Ward Election Committee has assigned sub-committees to inspect facilities at the polling stations.

However, preparation has faced some difficulties because the ward is large and far from the city centre. Some households are deep in forested areas, making it challenging to receive election information and travel to polling stations, Khoa said.

To overcome this, the ward’s Election Committee assigned teams with mobile loudspeakers to reach alleys and remote areas where the public address system has not yet reached, ensuring that all citizens and voters are informed about the election campaign.

With over 60 per cent of the area being hilly and mountainous, the establishment of 23 polling stations ensures convenience for voters. Neighbouring residential areas are grouped into the same polling area, while the furthest distance from a voter’s home to the polling station is only about 2–3km.

Nguyễn Hữu Bình, chairman of the ward’s Fatherland Front Committee, said that despite the challenge of a vast geographical area, the ward benefits from a population that consistently complies with the policies and guidelines of the Party and State.

Updating on progress, Bình said that after the second consultative meeting of the city’s Fatherland Front Committee, the ward had completed the process of gathering opinions from voters regarding candidates for the ward’s People’s Council by February 8.

Ready for big events

In recent days, the community cultural centre of Chín Thượng neighbourhood has been frequently visited by residents checking the voter list. The neighbourhood has 251 households with 557 voters assigned to the culture house polling station.

Diệp Hồng Vui, secretary of the Party cell and head of the neighbourhood, said: “The neighbourhood’s population is about 86 per cent ethnic people who are now fully informed, so their awareness of politics and social affairs is much improved. They are very excited about the upcoming election.”

Like many members of the Senior Citizens’ Association, elderly residents have been actively engaging with election preparation. Trương Văn, 81, a Sán Dìu ethnic person, has dedicated his time to learning about and following the election stages.

“The Senior Citizens’ Association recently held meetings to inform its members about their rights and responsibilities as citizens, and to promote the benefits of participating in elections to elect leaders of the State and locality,” he said. “Members were very enthusiastic and preparing themselves to gather and cast their votes on election day.”

Thanks to their knowledge of local customs, elderly voters like Nam also encourage their children and grandchildren to participate.

“I encourage my children that wherever they live they should cast the ballot to ensure their rights and obligations as citizens,” he said.

With the urgency, enthusiasm and seriousness of all levels and sectors, along with the awareness and responsibility of voters, Election Day in remote and rural areas will surely be joyful and successful, truly a great festival for the entire nation. — VNS