Vietnamese people voted on Sunday to elect deputies to the National Assembly and local People’s Councils for the 2011-2016 period. The National Election Committee said that 97.1 percent of voters casted their ballots in the every five-year election.
Party Secretary General cum National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong was the first voter to cast his ballot at polling station No.3 in Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi for the election after the opening ceremony.
Next were an 87 year old man Do Van Tien and 18 year old girl Nguyen Hong Hanh.
Mr. Trong said in an interview with international and local journalists that he was happy to conduct the duty of a citizen and eager to witness other people do the same.
Mr. Trong said this is the first time the elections for deputies to the National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels have taken place at the same time, during which over 63 million voters will elect 500 NA deputies and 301,954 People’s Council members at 91,438 polling stations.
Mr. Trong sent his thanks to all voters in the country who have paid their attention to activities of the NA and greatly contributed to the country’s policies and law.
State President Nguyen Minh Triet was also the first voter in the polling station No.38 at 24 Ky Dong Street in district 3, Ho Chi Minh City. He said he read carefully the biography of NA and People’s Council candidates to select the talented and moral people to take part in the government.
The general elections wrapped up at 19 p.m. Sunday.
Of the 827 candidates to the 13th National Assembly, there are 260 female candidates (or 31.44 percent), 133 ethnic minority candidates (16.08 percent), 118 non-Party candidates (14.27 percent). The number of under-40 candidates is 183 or 22.13 percent and self-nominated candidates, 15 or 1.81 percent. Among them were 25 self-nominated candidates in 14 cities and provinces.
Earlier, the festive atmosphere prevailed the country through Mong Cai Town in the northern province of Quang Ninh to the Ca Mau province in the southern tip of Vietnam on May 21, a day ahead of the official polling day for the 13th National Assembly and local People’s Councils for the 2011-2016 term.
The People’s Committee in district 1 has ordered 21 advertisement companies to replace signboard by pre-election propaganda posters. The work has been carried out from May 10-25 and it was finished on the day before the official polling day for the election.
De Tham Street in district 1 is crowded with foreigners. Not only voters are eager to do their duties but also foreign people are interested in the big event of the country. The district 1 leaders hence well prepared for all things especially election security matters.
