Voters in the capital city proudly cast their ballots, placing their trust in the voters.

From elderly voters and ethnic minorities to religious leaders and even first-time voters, all have placed their trust and expectations in the representatives chosen by the people, hoping to continue working together to build a more prosperous capital and country.

A bustling festival of national significance.

Photo caption — The first voters of Minh Chau island commune receive their ballots. Photo: Tran Viet/TTXVN.

It was just past 5 a.m. when Mr. Vu Van Toai and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tho (resident of neighborhood number 5, Hoe Thi, Xuan Phuong ward, Hanoi ) were already awake. Mr. Toai chose a dark blue jacket, while Mrs. Tho wore a sandy yellow ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress). Both carefully adjusted their attire and neatly combed their hair to look beautiful and dignified. Mrs. Tho even applied a light pink lipstick, as she would on holidays and Tet (Vietnamese New Year).

At exactly 7:45 a.m., the couple left their house. They walked slowly along the village road leading to the old warehouse area – where the ballot box for Polling Station No. 32, Xuan Phuong Ward, Hanoi City, was located. The ward's loudspeakers blared familiar tunes, interspersed with announcements and instructions about the election day for National Assembly and People's Council representatives at all levels. The fresh morning air and the red flags fluttering in front of each house made the village road seem vibrant with the colors of a festival. Along the way, many residents had already left their homes early, all neatly dressed, holding their voter cards, chatting animatedly as they walked.

With a gentle smile, Mr. Toai said that he is over 80 years old and has participated in many elections throughout his life, from the difficult years of the country to the current period of development. According to him, each election has a special meaning, reflecting each stage of the country's development.

“In the past, conditions were difficult, but people were still eager to vote. Today, the country is developing more and more, and people's lives are improving, so we cherish our vote even more. I have carefully studied the information of the candidates and will make a very accurate choice. I hope that those elected by the people will always be close to the people, listen to their opinions, and contribute to building a stronger and more prosperous capital and country,” Mr. Vu Van Toai shared.

Joining in the vibrant atmosphere of the National Festival, on the morning of March 15th, the Dao and Muong villages of Ba Vi commune seemed even more bustling than usual, with cheerful faces and enthusiastic spirits clearly evident on the faces of each resident.

Located at the northwestern gateway to the capital, Ba Vi commune has been diligently and seriously preparing for the election day for several days now. From organizing and reviewing voter lists to preparing facilities and conducting propaganda and mobilization, everything has been implemented synchronously, ensuring compliance with regulations and the set schedule.

According to Mr. Dinh Xuan Ngoan, Vice Chairman of the People's Council and Vice Chairman of the Election Committee of Ba Vi commune, the commune has 30 polling stations belonging to 8 electoral units in the area. A notable point in this election is the active participation of ethnic minority people. Of the total 42 candidates for the Ba Vi commune People's Council, 22 are ethnic minority people. This not only demonstrates attention to ensuring representation but also opens up opportunities for the voices of ethnic minorities to be more fully reflected in the activities of the local government.

Holding his voter card in his hand, Mr. Duong Trung Lien, a Dao ethnic minority member from Hop Son village, Ba Vi commune, Hanoi, said: “The villagers have been fully informed by village and commune officials about the significance of the election. Everyone hopes that the elected representatives will work diligently, responsibly, and pay more attention to the lives of ethnic minorities, especially regarding policies to support economic development, preserve traditional culture, and improve the living standards of people in mountainous areas.”

Belief in the new journey

Not only were voters in Hanoi enthusiastic about exercising their rights and fulfilling their civic duties, but they also placed their trust and expectations in the country's new development path. According to the voters, each ballot cast today not only chooses worthy representatives to represent the will and aspirations of the people, but also reflects their desire for an increasingly efficient, people-oriented, and people-serving state apparatus.

Venerable Thich Dao Phong, a member of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha and Deputy Head and Chief Secretary of the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Hanoi, stated that Vietnamese Buddhism has always upheld the tradition of accompanying the nation with the core spirit of Buddhism being to bring peace and happiness to humanity. Based on this, monks, nuns, and Buddhist followers place great trust and expectation in the elected delegates.

“A comprehensively developed society must ensure a balance between material and spiritual well-being. While state agencies care for the material needs of the people, we contribute to their spiritual well-being. This coordination is the key to ensuring people's happiness, in accordance with the Buddha's teachings, and achieving the common goal of building a better society together,” shared Venerable Thich Dao Phong.

From Thanh Oai commune (Hanoi), Mr. Phan Xuan Hang, Chairman of the Pastoral Council of Phuong Trung Parish, said that with the spirit of "respecting God and loving the country," the Catholic people here are very enthusiastic and place their full trust in the election of representatives to the 16th National Assembly and representatives to the People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.

According to Mr. Phan Xuan Hang, in Phuong Trung Parish and Tay Son village, the bond and solidarity between Catholic parishioners and local people have always been strongly nurtured. This spirit is clearly demonstrated through joint activities to build the homeland, develop the economy, and preserve cultural traditions. As a result, the lives of the people are constantly improving.

He also expressed his appreciation for the attention given by the Party, the State, the city of Hanoi, and local authorities to religions, especially in creating favorable conditions for religious activities to take place solemnly and in accordance with regulations. "This has further strengthened the faith of Catholic compatriots as well as the local people in the positive development of the capital and the country in the future," Mr. Phan Xuan Hang shared.

The first ballot of young voters

Along with the faith and expectations of many segments of the population, this year's election day also saw the participation of young voters exercising their civic rights for the first time. For them, the moment of holding the ballot in their hands was not only a memorable milestone in their youth but also the beginning of their responsibility to participate in the common affairs of the country. In their excitement and pride, many young people expressed their desire to contribute their small part to the development of the capital and the nation.

Present at one of the nine polling stations at the Vietnam Academy of Agriculture (Gia Lam commune, Hanoi), Trinh Anh Thu, a first-year student in the Faculty of Tourism and Foreign Languages (Vietnam Academy of Agriculture), said that her hometown is in Nghe An, quite far away, and her class schedule doesn't allow her to go home to vote, so she registered to vote at the school. Before election day, Anh Thu spent time carefully researching information about the candidates listed at the polling station as well as on official information channels.

"This morning I woke up earlier than usual and prepared my attire carefully to go vote. This is my first time exercising my civic right, so I want to choose carefully, thoroughly research the candidates so that my vote is meaningful and contributes to the overall development of society and the country," Anh Thu shared.

For Tran Dieu Ngoc Mai, a first-year student in the Interior Design Department at the Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Arts (O Cho Dua Ward, Hanoi), voting is not only a memorable experience but, more importantly, a way for her to demonstrate her responsibility to the country and the community. After receiving her ballot and reviewing the candidates' biographies once more, Ngoc Mai went to the voting area to make her decision, choosing the representative whose name would be written on the ballot.

"This is the first time I've voted to elect representatives who will reflect the will and aspirations of the people. For me, today is even more meaningful as it's my birthday. I will always remember this day as a milestone marking my personal growth," Ngoc Mai shared.

Hanoi is one of the localities with the largest number of elected representatives in the country, with 32 National Assembly representatives and 125 City People's Council representatives. After three rounds of consultations, Hanoi has selected and compiled the official list of qualified candidates, accordingly, the number of candidates for the 16th National Assembly is 39; the number of candidates for the City People's Council is 205; and the number of candidates for the commune-level People's Council is 5,271.

Thanks to the meticulous preparation of the Hanoi city government at all levels, election day truly became a festival for the entire population. Each ballot cast not only reflects the voters' choice but also conveys their trust and expectations in the exemplary and worthy representatives who will represent the will and aspirations of the people. From this trust, Hanoi voters expect the elected representatives to continue listening to the voices of the people, make sound decisions, and contribute to building a more civilized and modern Hanoi, and to steadily advance the country's path of development.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/cu-tri-thu-do-tu-hao-cam-la-phieu-gui-niem-tin-20260315075223487.htm