Election day across Vietnam: Moving moments from every region

From early morning on March 15, voters in Bh’lóoc village in the border commune of A Vuong in Da Nang arrive steadily at Polling Station No. 16 to cast their ballots. The area suffered heavy damage from floods and landslides in 2025, but on this nationwide election day, residents in the highlands turn out with enthusiasm to exercise their civic rights and duties.

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At Mau village cultural house in Tay Yen Tu commune, a mountainous area of Bac Ninh province home to 13 ethnic groups, mostly Dao, residents arrive in colourful traditional attire. The sound of ceremonial bells adds to the solemn yet warm atmosphere of election day.

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On the morning of March 15, voters at Polling Station No. 14 on Truong Sa Island in Truong Sa special zone of Khanh Hoa province join the nationwide election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.

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This marks the second time Truong Sa Island has held the election on the same day as the rest of the country, after the first in 2021, despite challenging geographic and weather conditions. In addition to local residents and stationed personnel, nearly 50 fishermen operating in nearby waters come ashore to cast their ballots at Polling Station No. 14.

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After casting their ballots at the polling station at Phan Dinh Phung High School in Ba Dinh ward, Hanoi, Party General Secretary To Lam and other Party and State leaders pose for a group photo with voters.

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President Luong Cuong casts his ballot at Polling Station No. 26 in Hoan Kiem ward, Hanoi.

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At Polling Station No. 21 at the community house of Residential Group 14 on Lac Long Quan Street in Tay Ho ward, Hanoi, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran cast the first ballots to elect deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.

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In the particularly remote area of Cua Rung, Polling Station No. 3 in Co Ma commune of Son La province, many ethnic minority voters travel long distances, crossing streams and rocky slopes to cast their ballots, bringing a lively election-day spirit to the Hmong highland village.

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Wearing their finest traditional attire, voters in western mountainous communes of Thanh Hoa province, including Nhi Son, Thien Phu, Hien Kiet and Son Thuy, head to polling stations to elect deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.

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In mountainous and border communes of Thanh Hoa province, home to many ethnic groups including Hmong, Muong, Thai, Kho Mu, Dao, Tho and Kinh, residents turn out to vote with a strong sense of responsibility on the country’s election day.

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In Hoan Kiem ward of Hanoi, election day takes place in a lively and solemn atmosphere, with polling held at a historic site of special significance -the house at 48 Hang Ngang Street, where President Ho Chi Minh drafted the Declaration of Independence that proclaimed the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

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Nguyen Kim Hung, a long-time voter who has taken part in many elections, says he feels proud to cast his ballot at this historic site. According to him, holding the election at the place where President Ho Chi Minh drafted the Declaration of Independence carries profound meaning, reminding citizens of the nation’s struggle for independence.

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At a polling station in Vinh Tuy ward, Hanoi, elderly voters with mobility difficulties receive assistance from polling staff and police officers at the guidance desk, reflecting the care and responsibility shown on election day for the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.

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At An Dinh residential quarter in Hoi An ward of Da Nang, the polling station is set at Huy Hoa shrine, a heritage site located in the old quarter. More than half of the voters in the area are ethnic Chinese, with many families having lived and traded in the old town for generations. Across Hoi An, several polling stations are arranged in historic communal houses, shrines and assembly halls, creating a distinctive election setting within the heritage area.

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At Polling Station No. 03 in Lung Cu commune of Ha Giang province, the voting site is located in Lo Lo Chai village, recently named one of the “Best Tourism Villages in the World 2025.” The choice of location highlights attention to ethnic minority communities and shows the spirit of national unity at Vietnam’s northernmost point.

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Col. Do Ngoc Sy, 98, the oldest voter at Polling Station No. 11 in Cau Giay ward, Hanoi, says he is glad to still be in good health to take part in the election. The 70-year Party member expresses confidence that the vote will achieve positive results and encourage people to continue building a stronger Vietnam.

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The human-centred spirit of election day is also evident at Polling Station No. 055 at Military Hospital 175, which has 2,011 registered voters, including 1,883 staff members, 20 rotating doctors from the Military Medical Academy and 108 patients undergoing treatment. To ensure patients can exercise their rights, polling station staff bring mobile ballot boxes directly to clinical wards.

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Volunteers transport visually impaired voters to a polling station.

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Dang Thi Lam, 116, from Thach Bo village in Hoa Vang commune of Da Nang, is unable to travel to the polling station due to health reasons. With a mobile ballot box brought to her home and guidance from polling station staff, she carefully casts her vote.

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Duong Thi Sao, 109, from An Nhon village in My Thuy commune of Quang Tri province, is assisted by relatives to the polling station, drawing the attention of many voters present. Despite her age and limited mobility, her family says she wished to cast her ballot herself to exercise her civic right.

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At Polling Station No. 10 in Electoral Unit No. 3 in Lien Hiep commune of Tuyen Quang province, 505 voters, mostly from the Hmong, Pa Then, Dao and Tay ethnic groups, with Pa Then accounting for about 60%, participate in the election. Polling station staff prepare both main and mobile ballot boxes and assign interpreters to read candidate biographies for voters who are not fluent in Vietnamese, ensuring the voting process is democratic and transparent.

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An elderly war veteran casts his ballot with assistance from officials at the polling station, leaving a moving image of civic responsibility and democratic participation on election day for the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.

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In Co To special zone of Quang Ninh province, the election day atmosphere is equally vibrant at this island outpost. The polling station includes 126 new recruits, many of whom express pride at casting their first ballots after joining the military.

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Mobile ballot boxes are brought to households with vulnerable voters in the border province of Lai Chau, enabling them to exercise their civic rights and elect deputies to the National Assembly and People’s Councils for the new term.

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A highland child, carried on her mother’s back to the polling station, gazes curiously at the stream of voters- a simple yet moving moment capturing the next generation witnessing the nation’s democratic day.

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