The ballot at the forefront

On the morning of February 27th, in the waters of the southern continental shelf of our country, officers and soldiers on duty at sea cast the first votes to elect representatives to the 16th National Assembly and the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council for the 2026-2031 term. Amidst the vast sea and sky, citizens' rights and responsibilities were exercised seriously and in accordance with the law, clearly demonstrating the proactive, thorough, and meticulous preparation of the relevant units.

The day before, a delegation from Brigade 125, Command of Naval Region 2, departed Long Son port to organize early voting for officers, soldiers, and fishermen serving long-term duties at sea. The ships Truong Sa 04 and Truong Sa 21 carried ballot boxes, ballots, voter lists, and all necessary documents to ensure the voting process was conducted in accordance with legal procedures.

Yesterday morning, under favorable weather conditions, the Truong Sa 04 vessel lowered boats to pick up voters from the patrol ships to complete the procedures, receive ballots, and cast the first votes. By 10:30 AM, voting on the four patrol ships was basically completed and ensured safety. Given the unique working conditions at sea, this result demonstrates the sense of responsibility, discipline, and close coordination among the forces.

According to a decision by the National Election Council, early voting will be held in 218 areas nationwide, primarily on islands, at sea, and in areas with unique transportation challenges. Some local armed forces units will also vote early to ensure that officers and soldiers can both exercise their civic rights and be ready to participate in maintaining security and order on election day.

Not only is it a solution that suits the practical conditions, but holding early elections clearly demonstrates the consistent stance of the Party and the State on ensuring the full and substantive right to vote of citizens as enshrined in the Constitution. This right is not limited by geographical distance or working conditions. Whether they are officers and soldiers on remote islands, on offshore platforms, on ships carrying out long-term missions, or at border guard posts; whether they are fishermen exploiting marine resources far offshore or people living in remote and isolated areas... every voter is organized and given the opportunity to exercise their rights and obligations in accordance with the law.

On a broader level, this is a concrete manifestation of the principle that state power belongs to the people. Each vote is a political mandate exercised through a democratic, open, and transparent electoral process. When the state proactively organizes early elections for specific regions, it affirms the inclusiveness and comprehensiveness of the mechanism for exercising citizens' rights, ensuring that no citizen is excluded from the country's overall political process.

This significance is further emphasized when considering that those exercising their right to vote are also the forces undertaking particularly important tasks: protecting maritime and island sovereignty ; maintaining security and order; and contributing to ensuring a peaceful and stable environment for the country's development and for the election itself. Holding early elections under these circumstances is a harmonious solution to ensure that citizens' rights and the responsibility to protect the homeland are exercised simultaneously, unified, and inseparable.

The election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and representatives to People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term is a major political event for the country. Organizing early elections in specific areas is part of the overall thorough and comprehensive preparation to ensure the success of the election.

Everywhere across the land and sea of ​​our homeland, the people's right to self-governance is respected and guaranteed by specific and practical organizational mechanisms. Each ballot cast in a ballot box on a ship's deck, at an offshore platform, or at a remote border guard post not only contributes to the overall outcome of the election but also demonstrates the unified will of voters nationwide in the process of building and perfecting the socialist rule of law in Vietnam.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/la-phieu-noi-dau-song-10407969.html