Chairman of Nghe An Provincial Election Committee: Ready to enter the big festival

Reporter:Dear comrade! In the past time, along with the whole country, Nghe An has actively prepared for the election with a spirit of urgency, ready for the great national festival. Could you please share some of the results of those preparations?

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son:After more than 5 months of active, urgent and serious implementation, with the participation of the entire political system from the province to the grassroots, up to this point, the contents and tasks of preparing for the election have been carried out in accordance with the procedures, regulations of the law and the set schedule. Steering committees and election committees at all levels have been established; associated with the assignment of roles, tasks and specific areas of direction for each member. In particular, the establishment of election teams is directed to select responsible and experienced people, including many members of the election teams who have participated in 2-3 elections. The whole province has 3,416 election teams with a total ofmore than 2.2 million votersestablished and listed.

The Election Committee and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee from the provincial to the grassroots level have organized inspection teams and groups to monitor the election work at the grassroots level to grasp the situation, promptly guide and correct some shortcomings, especially in areas showing signs of subjectivity, lack of concentration, and lack of understanding of the election tasks. The Provincial Election Committee alone organized 9 teams and conducted inspections in 2 phases in 21/21 districts, cities, and towns.

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son - Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, Chairman of the Provincial Election Committee inspected the election preparation work at the polling stations in Dang Son commune (Do Luong). Photo: Mai Hoa

The central content is that the candidate personnel work was carried out in accordance with the process and regulations, meeting the standards and structure. In particular, in the process of preparing candidates, the people's direct democratic rights were promoted through the introduction of candidates from agencies, organizations and localities and the organization of collecting opinions and trust from voters at the place of residence for candidates, including voters exercising their right to self-nominate. The Fatherland Front Committees at all levels organized 3 rounds of democratic and legal consultation to select and finalize the official list of candidates for the 15th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term.

In this term, the National Assembly and the Provincial and District People's Councils had no candidates, but at the commune level, 31 people submitted self-nomination applications and then3rd consultative conferenceThe remaining 17 self-nominated candidates at the commune level were officially listed for election in 7 localities: Dien Chau, Thanh Chuong, Quynh Luu, Yen Thanh, Nghi Loc, Nam Dan, and Do Luong.

The determination of local constituencies and the number of candidates for National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies elected in each constituency is carried out in accordance with regulations. Specifically, the whole province has 5 constituencies for National Assembly deputies; 26 constituencies for provincial People's Council deputies; 216 constituencies for district People's Council deputies; 3,242 constituencies for commune People's Council deputies. And the number of candidates for National Assembly deputies officially listed through the third round of consultation is 23 to elect 13 deputies; the number of candidates for provincial People's Council deputies is 137 to elect 83 deputies; the number of candidates for district People's Council deputies is 1,222 to elect 737 deputies; the number of candidates for commune People's Council deputies is 18,333 to elect 10,996 deputies.

Voters at polling stations in Vinh City look at the biographies of the delegates to choose those who are truly virtuous and talented. Photo: Duc Anh

Information and propaganda work has been proactively and extensively deployed by all levels and sectors in each stage and preparation progress, creating an atmosphere and raising awareness for all classes of people towards the election day. Along with that, it is necessary to strengthen the grasp, forecast the situation and proactively handle difficult and complicated issues, ensuring security, order and safety throughout the province. Receiving and handling people's petitions, complaints and denunciations related to the election and candidates are carried out in accordance with regulations. The preparation of material facilities for the election, including funding, election documents, election stamps, ballot boxes, ballots, etc. is ensured; focusing on training and professional guidance for members of organizations in charge of the election, especially members of the election teams, in conjunction with developing detailed operational and organizational scenarios on election day, ensuring that the election day takes place smoothly and safely.

Reporter:Dear comrade! What difficulties did Nghe An face during the election preparation process?

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son:Nghe An is a province with a large natural area, a large population, and complex terrain. In particular, there are many remote, border areas where the transportation system is not yet developed; from the polling station to the commune office center, you have to walk 1-2 days. Therefore, the Provincial Election Committee has proactively proposed and received permission from the National Election Council for Nghe An.early election2 days earlier than the regulation in 207 polling stations, accounting for 6.05% of the total number of polling stations in the province.

On the other hand, in 11 mountainous and ethnic minority districts, severe weather during this season often occurs with storms and whirlwinds, and recently, in some places in Ky Son district, due to storms and whirlwinds, the voter list; the list and brief biographies of the candidates were damaged. However, due to proactiveness and having ready plans, all damages were promptly repaired, including some landslides on the roads, ensuring smooth traffic for the people on election day. In addition to some issues, the area still has potential complications in terms of security and order, which the steering committees and election committees at all levels have proactively taken measures to handle.

The Nhon Mai Community Cultural House, Nhon Mai Commune (Tuong Duong) is decorated according to standards, ready to welcome voters to vote early on May 21. Photo: Cong Kien

Along with some specific difficulties of Nghe An, in the face of the general problem of the complicated developments of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Provincial Election Committee has also been flexible and promptly issued appropriate instructions. Including adjusting the schedule of voter contact, election campaign of candidates to training, inspection, election supervision, propaganda work, etc., all of which areswitch to anti-epidemic state.

The work of preparing facilities is directed to increase the number of additional ballot boxes, and be proactive in the event that many voters may have to be quarantined at home, quarantined at medical facilities or quarantined in a centralized manner. At the same time, the grassroots are directed to review and select qualified people to participate in the election teams to be ready to supplement or replace those in the election team if on election day they "fall" into the F0 or F1 category and must be quarantined, to ensure that the polling stations are held normally. The Provincial Election Committee has also issued detailed instructions on a number of contents of the election organization work associated with the work of preventing and fighting the Covid-19 epidemic on election day, May 23, 2021, throughout the province.

Reporter:Dear comrade! On the eve of the provincial election day, what message do you have for the candidates and voters of your province?

Comrade Nguyen Xuan Son:It is necessary to affirm that the work of preparing candidates for this election at all four levels in the province has been carried out very carefully. In addition to fully meeting the prescribed standards, the quality, qualifications and capacity of the candidates are quite high. Especially through the planned action program, the candidates are all very aware of their responsibilities to the people and more generally to the country, the province and the locality where they are elected. Therefore, not only me but also the voters of the province hope and expect that the candidates, when elected, will make many positive contributions to the activities of the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels, contributing to promoting the development of the country and homeland; strengthening the great national unity bloc, consolidating the close, flesh-and-blood relationship between the Party, the State and the people; protecting the legitimate rights and interests and constantly improving the lives of the people.

The election of deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term is an important political movement and a broad democratic activity among all classes of people. This is an opportunity for our people to exercise their right to mastery through the selection and election of exemplary deputies who are truly virtuous and talented, worthy of representing the people in the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels; at the same time, it is an opportunity to continue building, consolidating and perfecting the socialist rule of law state of the people, by the people and for the people. Therefore, I hope that voters in the province will exercise their rights and obligations to vote; carefully study and wisely choose those who are truly worthy of being deputies to the 15th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term.

Reporter:Thank you comrade!

>>Action program of candidates for the 15th National Assembly elected in Nghe An

>>Action program of candidates for the 18th Nghe An Provincial People's Council, term 2021-2026

A corner of Vinh city - Photo archive