Current Affairs

A mark of innovation and voter confidence.Final installment: "Digital flow" in the national celebration.

News Reporting Team • March 26, 2026 10:29

The elections for the 16th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term in Nghe An are marking a significant transformation. A "digital flow" has emerged, permeating every stage of the organization and fundamentally changing the face of this nationwide event.

News Reporting Team /Present:Hong Toai• March 26, 2026

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The elections for the 16th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term in Nghe An are marking a significant transformation. A "digital flow" has emerged, permeating every stage of the organization and fundamentally changing the face of this nationwide event.

The change began with seemingly small things. The process of reviewing voter lists, a laborious task requiring significant time and manpower, was particularly challenging. However, in Block 17, Quy Hop commune, Mr. Tran Ngoc Kinh, the Party Secretary, stated that the most gratifying aspect was the application of VNeID in reviewing voter lists for this election. “Previously, we had to investigate each household and compile lists manually. Now, all the data is available in the National Population Database, making verification very quick and convenient,” he said.

From a small community, it's clear how technology is "unloading" the infrastructure while simultaneously improving data accuracy, a core element in election organization. The change doesn't stop at list creation. In Hung Nguyen Nam commune, technology has truly created a "boost" in the voter experience. The posted candidate profiles are still there, but they are no longer the only channel.

Instead, QR codes are placed at polling stations and integrated into online portals, fan pages, and Zalo. With just one scan, voters can access the full list and brief biographies of each candidate. Videos, infographics, and radio broadcasts using AI technology are appearing, transforming otherwise dry information into visually appealing and easy-to-understand content about the criteria for representatives, procedures, times, and locations of polling. All of this is neatly packaged and disseminated across digital platforms.

Comrade Le Pham Hung - Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Hung Nguyen Nam commune, and Head of the Election Steering Committee of Hung Nguyen Nam commune - made a concise but insightful observation: "Technology helps propaganda work 'go faster, wider, and more economically'."

Beyond specific applications, technology has expanded the space for democracy in a more flexible way. Nghe An province flexibly organized voter outreach meetings using a hybrid format combining in-person and online participation, connecting the central hub to grassroots locations. Accordingly, the province held 23 in-person voter outreach meetings connecting 121 locations.

The operational work has also been "digitized" to be more flexible and timely. From October 2025, the Department of Internal Affairs, the permanent agency of the Provincial Election Committee, has established a dedicated Zalo group on election work, directly connecting with leaders and officials in charge of elections in communes and wards. This creates a regular communication channel to implement directives, provide professional guidance, and promptly handle issues arising during the preparation and organization of elections.

Nghe An province has also for the first time built a chatbot system to answer questions about elections, helping to promptly address voters' concerns related to the process, procedures, and standards for election representatives, as well as any situations that may arise during the election. This system operates continuously, contributing to reducing the workload for local officials while enhancing interaction and transparency in information dissemination.

A notable new feature of this election is the synchronized deployment of the National Election Council's election software in all 130/130 communes and wards in the province; at the same time, Nghe An proactively proposed and received permission from the National Election Council to use its own software to compile election results. Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong - Secretary of the Thanh Son hamlet Party branch, Head of Polling Station No. 10, Hung Nguyen Nam commune, shared that with the support of the software, the vote counting process has become more transparent and easier to control. The numbers no longer depend entirely on human error but are supported by the system for verification, limiting subjective errors.

A prominent highlight in election propaganda efforts in Nghe An is the seamless combination of traditional methods and the promotion of information technology and digital transformation.

In Quynh Phu commune, out of more than 3,600 voters, over half are fishermen, people who spend their lives at sea, often going out to sea for extended periods; among them, nearly 2,000 are Catholic, each with their own unique way of life. Election task forces went door-to-door, encouraging people to rearrange their fishing schedules so that, despite their busy work schedules, they could return on election day. "Even though we're busy earning a living, we still try to make time to come home. The ballot is the right of every citizen, and it also represents our hopes for relevant policies such as fisheries infrastructure, marine environmental protection, and social welfare for people in coastal areas," shared fisherman Phan Huu Luyen simply.

In Nghia Loc commune, where approximately 30% of the population are Catholic, the approach was different and more flexible. Propaganda was disseminated through official channels while also being harmoniously integrated into religious life. The role of priests, pastoral councils, and religious leaders was emphasized, acting as a bridge to naturally and easily convey election information to the people. According to Nguyen Van Tao, Deputy Secretary of the Commune Party Committee: On Sunday, March 15th, after the religious service, all Catholic parishioners went to the polling stations, making a significant contribution to the 100% voter turnout in the entire commune.

In the mountainous region of Nghe An, with its isolated villages, convoys of motorbikes displaying the national flag and carrying loudspeakers stretch along inter-village and inter-hamlet roads. Particularly in areas with large ethnic minority populations such as the Mong, Thai, and Khmu, the propaganda is delivered in both the common language and the local dialects. This makes the information more accessible and easier to understand. While this approach isn't new, in the context of the area, it demonstrates the enduring value of "speaking the people's language."

However, the most significant difference in this election is the proliferation of digital media, becoming an effective "extension" of the propaganda system. In Ke Bon village (Quy Chau commune), the loudspeakers still regularly broadcast every morning and evening, but simultaneously, election information is also continuously "broadcast" on digital platforms such as electronic portals, Facebook, and Zalo, creating a more flexible and responsive channel of access. Ms. Luong Thi Xuan shared that with just a smartphone, she can fully and promptly follow information about candidates and the voting process. "Convenient, easy to understand, and quickly updated," she said, adding that this is a clear new feature compared to previous elections.

Changes in people's access to information have also led to changes in the methods of the propaganda force. According to Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union Le Duc Sy, many youth union branches organized video design competitions, encouraging members to create short, easily shareable media products; in particular, the livestream program on the morning of March 11th with the theme: "Youthful courage - Firm belief in the election" created a forum for young people to exchange views, express their opinions, and raise political awareness about this national event.

On a broader scale, election information dissemination was implemented synchronously across all four media platforms. Nghe An's newspapers, radio, and television proactively developed early communication plans, with wide coverage from print and online newspapers to radio, television, and digital platforms. News articles, reports, features, panel discussions, infographics, livestreams, etc., were diverse, creating a dense and continuous information "network."

In particular, on election day, the radio and television broadcast program "A Day of Faith" connected many locations from mountainous areas and plains to coastal regions and urban centers. Images from the wards and communes of Muong Long, Quy Hop, Kim Lien, Quynh Mai, and Truong Vinh converged, contributing to a vivid overall picture of this great national event. In addition, the unit also published a special issue on the election, conveying key information to a large number of voters. Nghe An's newspapers and radio and television stations promptly reported on the elected candidates.

The Department of Justice organized an online contest to learn about the regulations of the Election Law by posting videos on the provincial and departmental electronic portals; on social media platforms like Facebook and Zalo; and creating infographics for dissemination during the contest. After three weeks, the contest had over 2.5 million participants. In Nghe An, officials and Party members in various agencies and departments also actively promoted, posted, changed profile pictures, and shared information about the election on their personal social media pages (Facebook, Zalo, YouTube, etc.).

Comrade Pham Ngoc Canh - Deputy Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department, and Deputy Head of the Provincial Election Information and Propaganda Subcommittee - assessed that the application of technology and digital transformation in election work in Nghe An has yielded clear results, making an important contribution to the success of the election.

It is evident that promoting the application of technology and digital transformation not only contributes to improving the efficiency of election organization but also expands the democratic space, creating conditions for voters to access information faster and more fully, and participate in the election day more proactively and responsibly. The experience of Nghe An shows that when technology is implemented synchronously, linked to the specific conditions of each locality, and placed under strict leadership and guidance, it not only improves the quality of organization but also strengthens the people's trust. This is also an important foundation for continuing to innovate the methods of organizing political tasks in the future, aiming to build a modern, people-oriented administration that serves the people better.

Following the successful conclusion of the 16th National Assembly and People's Council elections for the 2026-2031 term in Nghe An province, Nghe An Newspaper and Radio & Television recorded the feelings and shared experiences of the elected delegates and voters.

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Member of the Provincial Party Committee,Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Nhu Khoi:I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the voters who have trusted and elected me as a representative to the Nghe An Provincial People's Council for the 2026-2031 term. I sincerely thank the Party committees and local authorities for their attention and support in helping me successfully complete my candidacy. Thank you to my family, siblings, and friends for their affection and trust. I am deeply aware that I have been given "advance" the trust and expectations of the voters, organizations, and everyone else. This will always remind me to strive with dedication and responsibility in fulfilling my duties as a people's representative in the coming term.

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Member of the 16th National AssemblyLe Thi Hoai ChungButMember of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of HealthNghe An:I will strive to be an honest bridge between voters and the National Assembly, listening to and fully conveying the thoughts and aspirations of the people to the National Assembly; at the same time, actively and responsibly participating in the work of lawmaking, supervision, and decision-making on important national issues; especially contributing to proposing solutions to address shortcomings and difficulties, in order to build a healthcare system that is increasingly equitable, high-quality, and closer to the people; where all citizens have access to better medical examination and treatment services, at more reasonable costs, and with more comprehensive and timely healthcare.

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DeputyNguyen Khanh Hong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Giai Lac commune, was elected to the commune's People's Council for the 2026 term.But2031:I myself will continuously strive to cultivate the moral qualities of a cadre and a representative to be worthy of representing the will and aspirations of the people, worthy of being a representative of the people, by the people, and for the people; I will make every effort for the cause of national renewal, for the goal of a prosperous people, a strong nation, democracy, fairness, and civilization, and together with the Party Committee, government, and people of Giai Lac commune, I will continue to write a new chapter of development with new determination and aspirations.

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Voter Nguyen Trong Hanh - Secretary of the Party Branch of Block 15, Ha Huy Tap Street, Vinh Phu Ward:I hope that the elected representatives will soon begin their work, fulfilling their representative role, listening to and honestly reflecting the opinions and aspirations of the people. Because what voters expect is not simply promises made during the election campaign, but concrete changes in life, especially in practical issues affecting people's lives.