On March 15, 2026, voters nationwide will vote to elect National Assembly deputies of the 16th term and People's Council deputies at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.
This is a particularly important political activity, demonstrating the people's right to mastery in selecting typical delegates representing the will and aspirations of the people in the National Assembly and People's Councils.
On this occasion, National Assembly Chairman, Chairman of the National Election Council Tran Thanh Man took the time to answer an interview with Vietnam News Agency.
The following is the content of the interview:
- Dear National Assembly Chairwoman, Chairman of the National Election Council, on March 15, 2026, the election of National Assembly deputies of the 16th term and People's Council deputies at all levels for the 2026-2031 term will take place. How does the National Assembly Chairwoman assess the all-round preparation for the election up to this point?
National Assembly Chairman, Chairman of the National Election Council Tran Thanh Man: The election of National Assembly deputies of the 16th term and People's Council deputies at all levels for the 2026-2031 term is a major political event of the country, an opportunity for voters nationwide to promote their right to mastery, directly select typical deputies, worthy of representing the will and aspirations of the people in state power agencies. Therefore, for the election to be successful, it requires careful preparation in all aspects, synchronous and active involvement of the entire political system.
Up to now, when the election day is approaching, the overall assessment shows that the preparation for the election has been and is being implemented with a proactive, urgent, comprehensive, synchronous and closely following the provisions of law, and has fully prepared the conditions for the election to take place successfully, safely, democratically, and in accordance with the law. Election preparation can be assessed through the following basic contents:
First, in leading the election work, the Politburo issued Directive No. 46-CT/TW dated May 16, 2025 on leading the election of National Assembly deputies of the 16th term and People's Council deputies at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.
In 2026, the political requirement is to organize the preparation work well, ensuring that the election is successfully held, democratically, in accordance with the law, safely, economically and truly a great festival for the people of the whole country. The Politburo and the Secretariat continue to issue Conclusion No. 03-KL/TW dated February 23, 2026 on continuing to implement Directive No. 46-CT/TW of the Politburo.
In that spirit, competent agencies at the central and local levels have proactively reviewed, developed and promulgated a system of documents that are complete, timely, synchronous, and consistent with the Constitution, laws, and documents of higher-level state agencies, closely following practical requirements.
Thereby, establishing a complete, synchronous, and clear legal basis for organizations in charge of elections to properly perform their functions and tasks. For example, at the Central level, agencies have fully issued 27/27 documents and materials as required in document No. 03/HDBCQG-CTDB dated July 9, 2025 of the National Election Council; The National Election Council has issued 14 resolutions and guiding documents, along with 34 documents providing answers and professional guidance related to the organization of conferences to introduce candidates, structure, quantity, and dossiers for election of National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.
At the local level, provinces and cities have issued full guiding documents, organized training conferences on election nghiệp vụ, operating polling stations, preparing facilities, ensuring security, order, health... ready for election day. These documents have contributed to timely guidance, removing difficulties and obstacles arising in the process of deploying election work in localities.
Second, the personnel candidates for the 16th National Assembly and People's Council delegates at all levels for the 2026-2031 term are the most crucial stage of elections. The introduction of candidates is carried out publicly, transparently, democratically, in accordance with regulations, ensuring inheritance, intercommunication and innovation.
The consultation process was organized seriously, democratically, and objectively, based on the results of the third consultation Conference, on February 14, 2026, the National Election Council issued Resolution No. 151/NQ-HDBCQG announcing the official list of 864 candidates for the 16th National Assembly in 182 constituencies nationwide; the structure of candidates basically ensures the wide representation of all classes of people, sectors, fields and regions.
Regarding personnel candidates for People's Council deputies at all levels: The total number of people candidates for People's Council deputies at the provincial level according to the official list is 4, 223 people (elected by law is 2,554 people); at the commune level is 121, 242 people (elected by law is 72, 613 people).
As General Secretary To Lam emphasized, we strive to elect enough number and structure of deputies, but the quality of deputies must be put first.
Third, the work of compiling and reviewing voter lists is being seriously implemented, in accordance with the law. According to preliminary statistics, the whole country has more than 78 million voters participating in this election.
An important highlight is the shift from manual voter list management to automatic management on the information technology platform, which helps shorten the time for listing and printing voter cards, reduce pressure on commune-level authorities and improve the efficiency of checking and verifying voter information, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
The work of receiving citizens, receiving and resolving complaints and denunciations related to elections is implemented seriously, in accordance with the law, ensuring objectivity and caution. The work of organizing voter contacts and fostering candidates is prepared early according to plan and regulations, creating conditions for candidates to prepare carefully, clearly show responsibility, bravery and commitment to voters; and at the same time contribute to improving the quality of election campaigning, ensuring democracy, publicity and seriousness of the election.
Fourth, supervision and inspection work is deployed methodically, with focus and key points, promoting the effectiveness of guiding, inspecting, and urging roles; thereby strengthening discipline and order, ensuring that the election is organized in accordance with regulations, safely, democratically, and on schedule.
At the Central level, the National Election Council has coordinated with the National Assembly Standing Committee to complete 2 supervision and inspection phases in 24 provinces and cities.
At the local level, the Election Commissions of provinces and cities have proactively issued plans and established supervisory and inspection teams for the election of National Assembly deputies of the 16th term and People's Council deputies at all levels for the 2026-2031 term, ensuring synchronous and unified implementation throughout the area.
Supervision and inspection activities are carried out according to decentralization, closely following the progress of each stage, promptly detecting and rectifying limitations and shortcomings, contributing to improving discipline, order and quality of election organization at the grassroots level.
Fifth, information and communication work on elections is organized and deployed synchronously and promptly, with rich content and diverse forms on mass media from central to local levels.
Press agencies have closely followed the progress and key contents of the election, fully reflecting the activities of the National Election Council and organizations in charge of elections in localities, contributing to providing official, accurate, and objective information to voters and people from all walks of life; at the same time, focusing on reflecting the atmosphere of democracy, seriousness and the results of conferences to collect voters' opinions at work and residence for people who are introduced to run for National Assembly deputies and People's Council deputies at all levels nationwide.
Press and information agencies have made many efforts in disseminating the provisions of the law on elections, helping voters understand their rights and obligations, grasp the order and procedures for conducting elections; fully and promptly update the list of candidates, action programs and election campaign activities in accordance with regulations.
Locally, provinces and cities continue to promote proactiveness, creativity, and flexibly apply many forms of propaganda suitable to the conditions and characteristics of each area... Thereby, contributing to creating a joyful and trusting atmosphere among the people, raising awareness, responsibility and concern of voters for the election.
Sixth, the work of ensuring security, order, and social safety to serve the election is deployed synchronously and unifiedly from the Central to local levels, always identified by agencies as a key task, of key significance for the success of the election.
Options and plans to ensure security and order, social safety, and election protection, including protecting information technology systems and cyberspace, have been developed, closely following each stage of the process of preparing and organizing elections with the spirit of proactively preventing early and remotely, ensuring the safety of the election.
Thus, it can be assessed that the election preparation work has been carried out urgently, seriously, actively, proactively and comprehensively, ensuring the best conditions for the Great Day to take place successfully and well.
However, from now until the election is completed, the election preparation work must not be subjective or negligent, but still need to continue to focus highly, continuously inspect, review, and promptly handle difficulties, limitations, and arising problems, ensuring the best conditions for the election to take place successfully, safely, democratically, equally and in accordance with the law, truly a festival for the whole people.
- This election takes place in the context that we are implementing a two-level local government model and strong digital transformation. Please share with the Chairman of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the National Election Council about the notable new points in the organization and conduct of elections to suit the new context?
National Assembly Chairman, Chairman of the National Election Council Tran Thanh Man: On June 24, 2025, at the 9th Session, the National Assembly passed the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Election of National Assembly Deputies and People's Council Deputies. The election of National Assembly Deputies of the XVI term and People's Council Deputies at all levels for the 2026-2031 term is the first election to implement the Election Law after being amended and supplemented.
Compared to previous elections, this election has important new points, showing innovation in organizational thinking, implementation methods and increasingly high requirements for the quality of deputies, meeting the development requirements of the country in the new period.
First, the time to organize elections is 2 months earlier: At the 9th Session, the 15th National Assembly passed a Resolution shortening the term of the 15th National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels for the 2021-2026 term; setting the election date on Sunday, March 15, 2026; 2 months earlier than previous elections; and at the same time, shortening the time for the steps of the election process.
However, the steps to be taken need to be very strict, ensuring quality. This also requires a very high sense of responsibility, public service discipline and the coordination of relevant agencies and organizations in organizing the deployment of preparation work and conducting elections must be stricter and higher.
Second, the authority to determine the voting area and the organization in charge of elections is designed to be consistent with the 2-level local government model. This requires the proactiveness, coordination and high sense of responsibility of Party committees, authorities, the Fatherland Front and member organizations in election work.
The system of organizations in charge of local elections is redesigned corresponding to the 2-level local government organization model, including: Election committees in provinces and cities; Election committees in communes, wards, special zones; National Assembly deputy election committees; People's Council deputy election committees at provincial and commune levels; along with the Election Team (Clause 6, Article 4 of the Election Law).
To ensure the requirements of organizing elections on a wide scale, with a large workload and high representation, the number of members of organizations in charge of elections is regulated with an expanded membership framework, specifically in Articles 21, 22, 24 and 25 of the Election Law.
The authority to determine voting areas is adjusted in the direction of clear demarcation, in accordance with the 2-level local government model: The commune-level People's Committee has the authority to decide on the determination of voting areas and report to the provincial-level People's Committee; if necessary, the provincial-level People's Committee adjusts the determination of voting areas (Clause 4, Article 11 of the Election Law).
These changes require the proactiveness, close coordination and high sense of responsibility of Party committees, authorities, the Fatherland Front and member organizations in election work; and at the same time strengthen the unified management and administration role of the provincial level in election work.
Third, enhance publicity, transparency and expand the ability to interact in the method of election campaigning.
In addition to direct contact forms, voter contact conferences can be organized in online form or combined directly with online, on the basis of ensuring full conditions on technical, information security and network security.
The People's Committee where the conference is organized is responsible for publicly announcing the form, content, time, location of the conference and online access points to create conditions for voters to attend fully and conveniently (Article 66 of the Election Law).
This regulation contributes to expanding the space and methods of interaction between candidates and voters, enhancing voters' access to election information, and ensuring publicity and transparency in election advocacy activities. At the same time, in the work of organizing elections, this also raises the requirement to ensure that election advocacy activities must be carried out within the framework of legal regulations.
Fourth, applying information technology and digital transformation in the implementation of election organization.
There are many new and breakthrough contents on the application of science and technology, digital transformation is a highlight in the implementation of the election of National Assembly deputies of the 16th term and People's Council deputies at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.
Professional guidance documents on the organization of elections for National Assembly deputies of the 16th term and deputies of People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term have clearly stipulated that Provincial People's Committees and Provincial Election Committees within their scope and tasks direct the strengthening of the application of information technology and digital transformation in activities: Information, propaganda and election mobilization; updating and reporting on the situation and progress of elections; the creation and listing of voter lists, printing voter cards; updating the progress of voters participating in voting; supporting the organization of ballot counting and summarizing the results of ballot counting.
The application of information technology and digital transformation in supporting the organization of vote counting and summarizing vote counting results must ensure accuracy and information security in accordance with the provisions of the law on elections... on the basis of ensuring the confidentiality of information and election results in accordance with the Law on Network Information Security, the Law on Protection of Personal Data and the provisions of the law on elections.
A noteworthy new point of this election is the review and management of voter lists based on population data, while strengthening guidance for people to use the VNeID application to look up polling areas, check personal information and promptly reflect errors that need to be adjusted.
The Ministry of Public Security has issued Decision No. 8202/QD-BCA-C06 dated October 7, 2025, detailing this content. The shift from manual voter list management to automatic management on the information technology platform helps shorten the time for listing and printing voter cards, reduce pressure on commune-level authorities and improve the efficiency of checking and verifying voter information, ensuring accuracy and timeliness.
Voter lists are updated and adjusted regularly from the time of listing to 24 hours before voting according to regulations.
- There are only a few days left until Election Day. In the position of Chairman of the National Assembly, Chairman of the National Election Council, what does the Chairman want to send to compatriots and voters nationwide?
National Assembly Chairman, Chairman of the National Election Council Tran Thanh Man: This is a great political event of the country, a great festival of the whole people, demonstrating the people's right to mastery in building and perfecting the socialist rule-of-law State of Vietnam of the people, by the people and for the people.
I respectfully request and wish compatriots and voters nationwide to promote the spirit of responsibility, actively participate in elections, fully exercise their rights and obligations as citizens; at the same time, wisely select typical delegates in terms of qualities, capacity, prestige, truly representing the will and aspirations of the people in the National Assembly and People's Councils at all levels. With the tradition of patriotism, solidarity and high sense of responsibility of voters and people nationwide, I believe that the election of National Assembly deputies of the 16th term and People's Council deputies at all levels for the 2026-2031 term will be a great success, truly a festival for the whole people.
- Thank you very much, National Assembly Chairman, Chairman of the National Election Council.
