Millions of votes, one belief

Photo caption — Voters view the biographies of candidates at Polling Station No. 4 (Vung Tau Airport), Ho Chi Minh City, on the morning of February 26. Photo: Huynh Ngoc Son/TTXVN

This is the first election held after the administrative reorganization and the implementation of a two-tiered local government model. In the city, preparations are underway more urgently than ever, with millions of ballots continuing to be cast. Everyone shares a common belief and expectation in the representatives who possess the necessary integrity and competence for a breakthrough future.

Urgency and responsibility from the "front lines"

The transition to a two-tiered local government model has provided new impetus for organizing elections in 168 communes, wards, and special zones of Ho Chi Minh City. Accordingly, directives and operational decisions from the City Election Committee are communicated directly and promptly to the grassroots level – considered the "front line" of all election activities. As a result, preparation progress has been accelerated, and issues arising in the area of over 14 million people have been handled effectively.

Observations in Ban Co ward show that the impact of the new model is clearly evident in the decisive management and direction of election preparations. Mr. Huynh Gia Giang, Deputy Secretary, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ban Co ward, and Vice Chairman of the Ban Co Ward Election Committee, said that the locality has completed printing 62,186 voter cards, ready for distribution to the people. According to statistics as of August 2025, the entire ward has 20,254 households with 66,392 people, of which the number of voters aged 18 and above is 55,538. This year's voter registration process is being carried out scientifically , through the exploitation of the national population database and the application of VNeID electronic identification.

Logistical preparations were carried out with lightning speed. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Duc, Director of the Public Service Supply Center of Ban Co Ward, shared: The Center mobilized all its staff and officials, along with the support of the militia and local security forces, to prepare for 32 polling stations. As of March 5th, the ward had completed the model ballot room for the polling stations to visit and learn from the design experience. The entire ward prepared 138 ballot boxes (including 3 levels and auxiliary ballot boxes) along with more than 160 ballot marking rooms designed separately, ensuring privacy and providing special support for voters.

Professionalism in election preparation was also evident in Dien Hong ward, where a trial run of the voting process was recently conducted at Polling Station No. 8 (Ward 6). With the participation of 250 illustrative voters, the "rehearsal," under the direct guidance of Mr. Le Van Minh, Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council, and Chairman of the Election Committee of Dien Hong ward, helped to test the operational capabilities of the system and the plan for handling unforeseen situations on election day. The trial program included all steps, from the flag-raising ceremony and checking the ballot box seals to the voting process into three color-coded ballot boxes for the three levels of representatives.

According to Mr. Le Van Minh, conducting a practical trial run is the best way to "rehearse" for the polling stations, ensuring that no procedural errors occur on March 15th. Through this, the polling stations must clearly assign tasks to each member and carefully check the physical facilities (sound, lighting, etc.) to ensure that the voting process is well-served for voters.

Mr. Le Van Minh emphasized that those directly involved in the polling stations must not only thoroughly understand the procedures but also be proficient in their implementation, especially in vote counting and using the prescribed forms correctly. The general principle is to work meticulously, check carefully, and absolutely not allow any mistakes, however small, to occur.

Working overtime to bring ballots to every voter.

As election day approaches, the work in the neighborhoods is becoming increasingly urgent and intense. The polling stations in Ban Co ward are carrying out a "door-to-door" campaign to distribute voter cards. Neighborhood officials, undeterred by the heat or break times, are meticulously reviewing every detail on the cards to avoid errors before handing them over to voters.

Mr. Pham Lien, Head of the Steering Committee of Ward 34, Ban Co Commune, said: The ward has nearly 2,000 voters. The distribution of voter ballots is being carried out in a way that involves reviewing and distributing ballots as needed, aiming to complete the process by March 10th.

In the same spirit, members of the election committee in Phu An ward are intensifying their work, urgently reviewing, classifying, and directly handing over voter cards to each resident in the area.

According to reporters, Phu An ward has completed the announcement of the official list of candidates for the ward People's Council in each electoral unit; at the same time, it has organized meetings with voters for candidates to present their action programs and listen to the opinions and suggestions of voters.

According to the leaders of Phu An ward, in order to ensure the progress of election preparations, in recent days ward officials and civil servants, along with forces in the neighborhoods, have been working overtime, including evenings and weekends, to complete related tasks. This is to ensure that voter cards are promptly delivered to each citizen, guaranteeing that voters are aware of the time, location, and method of voting.

According to a report from the Ho Chi Minh City Election Committee, the voter list has been publicly posted at the headquarters of commune-level People's Committees, neighborhood and village community centers, and public places within polling areas. Polling stations are urgently distributing voter cards; many are working through the night to ensure timely delivery of cards to those on the list.

The City Election Committee directed the City Police to expedite the review, adjustment, and updating of the voter list until election day; at the same time, standardize voter information and mobilize maximum resources from neighborhood committees and ward management boards to implement the motto "going to every alley, knocking on every door, checking every voter card," in order to ensure that no voters are missed in the managed area.

Along with voter cards, each family also received a set of documents containing brief biographies and action programs of candidates for the 16th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels. This approach gives voters more time to study and choose those who are truly worthy to represent their will and aspirations.

Expectations are high for the team of "architects" of the "megacity".

To date, Ho Chi Minh City has organized thousands of voter outreach events, both in person and online, attracting millions of participants. This is a crucial stage for voters to learn about the action programs, assess the capabilities and dedication of candidates before exercising their right to vote. Facing the new opportunities of a "megacity" with over 14 million people, voters not only express their expectations but also raise many demands regarding the responsibility, integrity, and competence of the elected representatives.

Voter Pham Tien Canh (Hamlet 38, Hoc Mon Commune), a former military officer, frankly shared the core criteria for selecting candidates. He believes that representatives must hold positions and work in fields suitable for effective contribution in the National Assembly. "Representatives must understand the opinions of voters, synthesize them fully, and truthfully reflect them to the People's Council. If there are two candidates from the same unit, we will choose the one with greater responsibility and accountability. We hope that after being elected, representatives will maintain close contact, listen to the people, and protect the people's rights in the best possible way," Mr. Canh shared.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong (70 years old, a voter in Ban Co ward) shared: "Having lived in Ho Chi Minh City for over 70 years, this is the first time I've clearly felt the positive changes in the local government apparatus, especially the leadership team in the ward. They are young, dynamic, close to the people, and attentive to every issue in the neighborhood. This transformation makes older voters very excited and they have high expectations for their ballots in the upcoming election."

Meanwhile, young voters place their trust in technological innovation and housing policies. Nguyen Huu Nhan (a voter from Phu Nhuan ward) shared: "I am interested in candidates with strong commitments to digital infrastructure and inter-regional social housing. With over 14 million people, if we don't have representatives who dare to think big, dare to act, and make breakthroughs to create modern living spaces, we will fall behind and fail to keep up with developed countries in the region and the world. We need people who behave civilly, are tech-savvy, and know how to listen through direct channels that the new government model is operating."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh, a worker residing in the area, shared: "Living in a big city, I used to worry that the voice of a worker would be less heard. But recently, with the implementation of the two-tiered local government model, many residency and support procedures at the ward level have been resolved faster than before. I hope that the elected representatives will continue to uphold that spirit: decisions from the city must be linked to the realities of workers' lives."

With its large economy and population, voters in Ho Chi Minh City understand that each ballot contributes to choosing capable and competent representatives to manage and govern this special metropolis. The people's expectations extend beyond written action programs to include the ability to address real-world inter-regional issues. Therefore, the more than 14 million votes cast by the city's voters are not merely a legal procedure or the exercise of civic rights and duties, but the culmination of "One Belief"—a belief in a future of breakthrough development, civilization, and compassion for the city named after President Ho Chi Minh.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/thoi-su/trieu-la-phieu-mot-niem-tin-20260309162027640.htm