Nuns have their body temperature checked before casting their ballots in Hàng Trống Ward, Hoàn Kiếm District in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Thành Đạt

HÀ NỘI — Election in quarantine zones, islands and other special areas in the country took place safely and conveniently, said local authorities.

Joining voters across the country, constituents of the Việt Nam People’s Army exercised the right and duty to vote on May 23 to elect deputies to the 15th National Assembly and all-level People’s Councils for 2021-2026.

Sen. Lt. Gen. Phan Văn Giang, Vice Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence, was among the first to drop off ballots at a polling station in Điện Biên Ward of Hà Nội’s Ba Đình District Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, Gen. Lương Cường, member of the Politburo and the Central Military Commission’s Standing Board and Chairman of the army’s General Department of Politics, cast his votes in Cửa Đông Ward, Hà Nội’s Hoàn Kiếm District.

The Việt Nam People’s Army has 33 candidates in the NA election and 1,108 in the People’s Council elections, including 99 candidates for seats at provincial-level People’s Councils, 781 for district-level People’s Councils, and 228 for communal-level People’s Councils.

At 7am on Sunday, more than 960 election teams in Khánh Hòa Province simultaneously welcomed the first voters. In Nha Trang City, the morning was quite cool making it convenient for voters to leave their homes and exercise their rights and obligations.

Bắc Giang Province is now considered as the “centre” of the latest outbreak of COVID-19. Deputy chairman of the provincial Election Commission Vũ Mạnh Hùng on Sunday said that the election in the province took place smoothly and safely.

People in the province actively participated in the election with a high sense of responsibility while ensuring COVID-19 prevention and control. All members of the election team and voters had their temperatures checked, and strictly followed the Ministry of Health’s regulations for pandemic prevention.

Khmer voters in Vĩnh Long southern province also eagerly participated in the election. Voters trust and believe that those elected will perform well their roles and responsibilities, keep their promises to the people, and devote all their efforts and wisdom to serve the common interests of the country.

Thạch Son Bắt, who lives in Loan Mỹ Commune, Tam Bình District, said he had researched the biographies of the candidates over the past few days through television and radio.

Bắt was present early on Sunday to review again and then select a virtuous, talented and qualified person.

“I hope the elected delegates will pay more attention to the construction and development of the province, and more interested in the Khmer people's life,” he said.

Kim Thòn, leader of Election Team No 3 in Kỳ Sơn Hamlet, Loan Mỹ Commune, said they had educated local people to strictly ensure COVID-19 prevention and control and gave direct instructions so that the elderly voters and Khmer people who do not know Vietnamese clearly understand the regulations and candidate information so that they can exercise their voting rights.

Voters who are medical workers, hospital staff, patients and their relatives in hospitals or people in quarantine due to COVID-19 are assisted to exercise their rights and obligations in safe conditions.

Elections at hotspot border areas 

To ensure that COVID-19 prevention forces at border areas can vote, the An Giang Province Election Commission set up mobile ballot boxes for pandemic prevention forces to join in the elections at border areas with Cambodia.

From early yesterday morning, the first voters came to polling station No. 11 at Vinh Ngươn border station at Núi Sam Ward in Châu Đốc City.

All the voters had their temperatures checked and their hands disinfected during procedures.

According to Major Cao Ngọc Khuê, a politician from Vĩnh Ngươn Border Guard Station, the station has 29 teams and checkpoints for COVID-19 prevention and control near the border, with a total of 244 voters from three forces (border guards, police and the military).

“We have set up four polling stations, of which three mobile ballot boxes will be transported to checkpoints at the borders with Cambodia so that the pandemic prevention teams can exercise their right to vote while on duty at border areas,” he said. — VNS