Joining the vibrant election atmosphere at 5,065 polling stations across Ho Chi Minh City, polling station No. 12 in Xuan Hoa Ward, located at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, was already bustling early in the morning of March 15.
Local authorities used the venue as a polling site for residents of the Quarters.
Among the voters were many monks and nuns currently studying and living at the pagoda.
Venerable Thich Thanh Phong, abbot of Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, said that the choice of the pagoda as a polling venue highlighted the strong connection between religion and daily life.
The pagoda is always willing and delighted to create the most favorable conditions in terms of space, ensuring that this nationwide event can take place in a solemn, safe, and successful manner.
At Phu Cuong Parish of the Phu Cuong Diocese in Ho Chi Minh City, Father Anton Ha Van Minh, Parish Priest of Phu Cuong Cathedral Parish, encouraged parishioners to fully recognize their civic rights and responsibilities on election day, reflecting the harmony between religious faith and patriotism, both aimed at contributing to national development.
At polling station No. 11 in Cua Nam Ward in the capital city of Hanoi, Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, together with senior Buddhist dignitaries, cast their ballots early in the morning of March 15 in a solemn and responsible atmosphere.
At the Vietnam Buddhist Academy in Hanoi, nearly 500 monks, nuns, and monastic students voted at polling station No. 12 in Soc Son Commune.
By 9 a.m., all academy voters had completed voting, reaching a 100 percent turnout.
In Bac Ninh Province, Venerable Thich Duc Thien, Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, voted at polling station No. 6 in Phat Tich Commune.
Earlier, Buddhist dignitaries and abbots across the country had encouraged followers to understand the significance of the election and to fulfill their civic responsibilities.
On the afternoon of March 15, Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Loc, Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, met voters who are religious dignitaries, religious officials and ethnic minority residents.
The Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee also visited monastic voters at Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, priests at the Office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam and nuns at the Carmel Monastery of Saigon.
Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Loc also visited election teams and voters at polling station No. 7 in Cho Quan Ward, where Cao Dai followers cast their ballots; polling station No. 9 in Cho Lon Ward, home to many ethnic Chinese voters; and polling station No. 19 in Binh Phu Ward.
At these locations, he expressed appreciation to election teams for their thorough preparations and thanked voters for participating early and fully in choosing representatives for the new-term National Assembly and People’s Councils.
On the morning of March 15, Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Phuoc Loc visited and encouraged voters at Hoa Binh Village, located within Tu Du Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City.
The facility is home to 32 victims of Agent Orange who are being cared for and supported by the hospital, including 14 voters eligible to cast ballots for deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026–2031 term.
To facilitate their participation in the election, Ben Thanh Ward authorities delivered a mobile ballot box to the site, ensuring that they exercise their voting rights.
