Ho Chi Minh City removes difficulties for grassroots levels, ensuring people's voting rights

On February 24, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City Nguyen Phuoc Loc chaired a meeting to listen to reports on the election preparation situation in 40 wards, communes, and special zones assigned to monitor.

At the meeting, Secretary of the Party Committee of Ben Thanh Ward Hoang Thi To Nga said that the listing of voters is still not synchronized. There are cases where members of the same household are scattered on many different pages, causing confusion and wasting time comparing at the listing point.

In addition, Ben Thanh ward is under great pressure due to Tu Du Hospital and Saigon International Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in the area, with about 2,300 voters being patients and relatives. Ensuring the right to vote for this group of subjects requires careful calculation of the location of the polling group for convenient movement.

In Tan Phu ward, the proportion of voters with permanent residence but not actually residing accounts for about 13%, causing difficulties in the review work.

Answering this question, Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs Nguyen Tan Phong said that according to regulations, voters who have registered permanent residence but are not present in the locality and cannot be contacted must still register their names on the voter list. Localities need to send invitations to participate in voting through relatives.

Mr. Phong also reminded localities to continue to review and adjust the list, ensuring that all voters have their civil rights exercised; and at the same time carefully check the authority, personal information, and background of the supporting forces to ensure safety for election organization.

According to Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Justice Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh, in hospitals with over 50 voters, it is necessary to establish separate polling stations and use auxiliary ballot boxes. For end-level and central hospitals, the Election Commission must closely coordinate to support outgoing voters or voters from other localities who are being treated to register for elections in Ho Chi Minh City through the inter-agency system.

Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong requested localities to proactively coordinate with the Police and the Department of Home Affairs to review and compare the data of permanent and temporary voters, especially in places where there is a large difference between reality and population data.

He emphasized that it is necessary to create maximum conditions for voters to exercise their right to vote. In case voters wish to register for election at their temporary residence (before 24 hours of the election), the locality must receive and guide them thoughtfully, without causing difficulties or refusal. Cases of refusal to receive must be specifically reported to competent authorities for consideration and handling.

Concluding, Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Phuoc Loc proposed that from now until March 15, localities focus on reviewing and completing the organizational structure in charge of elections; promote propaganda before, during and after elections, not underestimating any form, thereby expressing the will and ownership of the people.

Along with that, it is necessary to link the establishment and listing of voter lists with the election campaign of candidates; prepare sufficient facilities, ensure political security, social order and safety throughout the organization process.

According to Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Loc, from now until March 1, there will be three training sessions organized by the National Election Council, Ho Chi Minh City Election Commission and the Ministry of Home Affairs.