Naval officers and soldiers seal ballot boxes in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province on May 4 before leaving to organise early voting for the forces working at sea (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Given
special geographical and job conditions, many constituencies nationwide have
been allowed to hold early voting so that their voters can exercise citizens’ rights
and responsibilities.
According to Article 72 of
the law on election of deputies to the National Assembly (NA) and People’s
Councils, in special circumstances that call for the voting date to be delayed
or early voting to be held, election committees will propose the National
Election Council (NEC) consider and make decisions.
Basing on the proposals
submitted by local election committees, the NEC has permitted certain
constituencies in 12 provincial-level localities, namely Hai Phong, Can Tho, Ba
Ria - Vung Tau, Binh Dinh, Ca Mau, Dak Nong, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Khanh Hoa,
Quang Nam, Quang Binh, and Nghe An, to conduct voting ahead of the scheduled
date for the elections of deputies to the 15th NA and all-level
People’s Councils for the 2021-2026 tenure on Sunday May 23.
Plans quickly made to prepare for early voting
Right after the NEC gave the
green light to the early voting, the election committees of the 12 localities
and their agencies and organisations have promptly made plans to organise advance
polling and step up communications about the elections.
The time for advance polling has
been set in line with Article 71 of the law on election of deputies to the NA
and People’s Councils.
First five constituencies to conduct early voting
On May 4, the Election
Committee of southern Ba Ria - Vung Tau province organised voting for officers,
soldiers, and workers of local units of the navy, coast guard, and fisheries
resources surveillance forces, along with staff on oil rigs, and fishermen
working for a long time at sea.
On the day’s morning, the
voting took place solemnly and seriously in five constituencies in the
province, all in Vung Tau city, which were also the first to hold voting in Vietnam.
Also on May 4 morning, at the
terminal of Naval Brigade 171, Naval Region 2 and the Ba Ria - Vung Tau
Election Committee held a ceremony to see off two delegations leaving to
organise advance voting at offshore economic, scientific and technical
service stations on the southern continental shelf, also known as DK1 platforms, and vessels on duty at
sea.
The Election Committee said
the province has more than 3,120 voters casting ballots ahead of the official
election date. The voting was carried out in line with regulations with the
participation of all of those in the voters’ lists. COVID-19 prevention and
control measures were also implemented at polling stations./.