The beliefs and expectations of voters in the mountainous region of Nghe An.

Looking forward to the big day

About a week before the elections for National Assembly and People's Council representatives at all levels, we had the opportunity to visit the villages in the western region to witness the bustling and enthusiastic atmosphere of the ethnic minority people.

Our first stop was Tam Thai commune, home to the Thai, Mong, and Tay Poong ethnic groups. The atmosphere in the villages of this border commune was vibrant and bustling; flags and flowers adorned every road, promoting the "National Festival."

We visited Pha Lom village, located near the Vietnam-Laos border, home to 130 households of the Mong ethnic minority. According to the village head, Xong Ba Ai, although there is still one week until the election, the preparations are basically complete.

The village cultural center has been cleaned, tables and chairs have been arranged, and the lists of candidates for the National Assembly, Provincial People's Council, and Commune People's Council have been posted.

“The voters in the village have been informed and educated about the meaning and importance of election day, as well as the importance of wisely choosing worthy representatives who will represent their will and interests. Therefore, everyone is looking forward to election day to exercise their rights and responsibilities,” said Mr. Xong Ba Ai.

Life is still difficult, people are not yet confident in applying scientific and technological advancements to production; child marriage and school dropout still occur… Therefore, when casting their votes, voters in Pha Lom village expressed their wish for continued attention and investment in developing economic models, aiming to eradicate hunger and reduce poverty.

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I hope the delegates will pay attention to and propose support for plant and animal breeds to help people develop their economy; and invest in building roads to make travel more convenient…

Mr. Vu No Po, Pha Lom village, Tam Thai commune

Like Pha Lom, other hamlets in Tam Thai commune have also completed their election preparations, and people of all ethnic groups are ready to cast their votes to choose worthy candidates.

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"Hopefully, when elected, the delegates will pay more attention to the local people's livelihoods, such as improving income, creating jobs, and preserving cultural identity."

Ms. Vi Thi Nguyet – a voter from Can village, Tam Thai commune

According to Mr. Lo Duong Khanh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tam Thai commune, the entire commune has 6 polling stations and 14 voting areas with more than 5,200 voters. To date, preparations have been basically completed, ready to welcome election day.

Beliefs and expectations

Along with Tam Thai commune, other highland communes in Nghe An province have been actively preparing for the election, ensuring its successful outcome. Voters in these communes have been informed about their electoral duties and rights, and are awaiting the day to cast their ballots to choose worthy candidates for the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels.

Yen Hoa commune has 6 electoral units, 18 polling stations, and over 6,000 voters. The area is large, transportation is difficult, and the population mainly consists of Thai and Khmu ethnic minorities, so the preparation for the election has faced some challenges.

Recognizing this, members of the commune's election committee went directly to the villages to support and guide the village management boards in implementing the election work. For villages facing difficulties due to terrain and transportation that prevented connection to the commune's broadcasting system, the village management boards recorded the programs and propaganda content to be broadcast again through the village's loudspeakers.

According to the Chairman of the People's Committee of Yen Hoa commune, Dau Duc Truyen, election day will truly be a great festival for the people of Yen Hoa. Currently, the people are eagerly awaiting the day to cast their votes. The election is an opportunity for the people to express their faith and hope for changes in their material and spiritual lives; it is also an opportunity to share their aspirations for the prosperity and progress of their village and homeland.

Ms. Kha Thi Tam, a voter from Yen Tan village, believes that Yen Hoa commune not only has advantages in agricultural and forestry development but also potential for ecotourism and community-based tourism. In recent years, the commune has focused on tourism development, but it hasn't been commensurate with its potential. She hopes that after the election, there will be further impetus to boost tourism development, helping people earn more income.

Meanwhile, voter Vi Kham Mun from Xieng Lip village expressed a desire for greater attention to the preservation of ethnic cultural identity, especially that of the Thai ethnic group.

Over the years, he has devoted himself to collecting proverbs and folk songs of the Thai ethnic group, teaching the Lai Pao Thai script, and has achieved some initial results. Mr. Mun expressed his hope that National Assembly representatives, provincial People's Councils, and commune People's Councils would support the policy of increasing funding and expanding the scope and target audience for teaching, contributing to preserving cultural identity.

Voter Luong Thi Son, from Hoa Bac hamlet, Tuong Duong commune, said that what she hopes and believes is that the elected representatives will dedicate themselves to caring for and ensuring the people's livelihoods, finding solutions to overcome the risks of flooding that affect people's lives and property.

Thus, from the remote villages of the Western region, each voter arriving at the polling station carries with them faith and hope. For the people in the highlands, the ballot not only represents their right to self-governance but also their responsibility towards the development of their homeland. That faith is being conveyed through each ballot, contributing to the selection of worthy representatives.