On Sunday, March 15, 2026, voters nationwide will participate in the election of National Assembly deputies of the 16th term and People's Council (HĐND) deputies at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.
According to the National Election Council, a valid ballot must meet all of the following requirements:
Ballot issued by the Election Team and stamped by the Election Team;
Voting ballots with sufficient number of delegates or electing fewer delegates than the number of delegates elected that has been set for the constituency;
The ballot does not record the names of people outside the list of candidates or the ballot does not record other content.
Members of the Election Team provide specific instructions to voters on how to vote to ensure valid ballots. According to the instructions in Circular No. 21/2025/TT-BNV of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the guidance of the National Election Council, if voters do not trust any candidate (do not vote for a person named in the ballot), cross the full name of that candidate (cross both the full name of the candidate); do not circle; do not mark on the ballot; do not write more, do not add names from outside the list of candidates to the ballot; do not vote (do not leave) more than the number of delegates specified in the ballot; do not cross the full name of the candidate in the ballot; do not leave the ballot unchanged (do not cross any candidate's name) for ballots with candidate surplus.
In case the ballot is crossed, crossed, crossed, or crossed but all the letters of the candidate's full name are crossed, it is counted as a vote not to vote for that candidate. In case voters do not cross both the letters of the candidate's full name (only cross the full name or cross the middle name or name) or only circle, cross below, cross above the letter of the candidate's full name, that ballot is still counted as a vote for that candidate.
In case in the ballot, the candidate has both a birth name, a common name or a position, legal name, legal name according to religion, if the voter only crosses a last name and birth name or a common name (only crosses a last name and birth name or position, legal name, legal name for religious dignitaries), that ballot is counted as a vote not to vote for that candidate.
The invalid ballots are:
Votes that do not follow the prescribed form issued by the Election Team;
Ballot without the seal of the Election Commission;
The number of people elected is more than the number of delegates elected that has been determined for the constituency;
The ballot erases all the names of all candidates; the ballot adds the names of people outside the list of candidates or the ballot adds other content.
During the vote counting process, if a ballot is found to be invalid, the Head of the Election Team shall issue it for the entire Team to consider and decide. The Election Team is not allowed to erase or correct the names and contents recorded on the ballot.
- The Head of the Election Team submits to the entire Team for consideration for ballots identified as invalid ballots in the following cases:
Ballots with additional content or marked on the ballot;
The ballot where the name slash over the letter of the candidate's last name and name is too blurry to be clearly recognized;
Bad or damaged ballots lead to the inability to accurately determine the vote for candidates whose names are recorded on the ballot;
Other cases are proposed by the Head of the Election Team.
