On the morning of 13/3, voters in 55 areas across 12 mountainous and border communes in Nghe An province participated in early voting, two days ahead of the national schedule. In Phong village, Tam Thai commune, a challenging mountainous area in western Nghe An, hundreds of residents temporarily set aside their farm work to arrive at the polling station around 6h. Many voters were present dozens of minutes before the opening, some women carrying small children.

Ms. Vy Thi Phuong, 61 years old, stated she woke up at 5h that morning, arranged her farm work, and then walked a distance of 4 km to the polling station. She expressed hope to elect representatives who would pay more attention to the lives of mountainous residents, especially regarding road infrastructure and solutions to improve livelihoods.

Lo Duong Khanh, Chairman of the People's Committee (UBND) of Tam Thai commune, announced that the entire commune had arranged three early polling areas. Preparations were complete, and the stations were organizing voters to cast their ballots according to regulations.

Voters in Phong village reviewing candidate information, morning of 13/3. *Dinh Hung*

In Mon Son commune, around 5h30, many voters from Moi village left their homes, following a trail to the stream in front of the village to reach the polling station. As there was no permanent bridge, everyone had to roll up their trousers and wade through the water before continuing to walk nearly one km to the cultural house, where the polling station was located.

Earlier, on the afternoon of 12/3, many commune officials and residents traveled by boat across the Ban Ve hydroelectric reservoir to Huoi Pung village, Huu Khuong commune, to prepare the polling station. Traveling from the commune center to the village took about one hour by boat, docking, and then walking along a forest trail. Since transportation relied entirely on waterways, preparations were completed the previous evening.

Huoi Pung currently has 82 households with 334 residents, including 68 poor households and six near-poor households. The residents' livelihoods primarily depend on farm work, fishing in the reservoir, and small-scale livestock farming. The village lacks national grid electricity and phone signal; communication with the outside world is mainly by boat to the commune center. Commune leaders reported that voting in Huoi Pung village was completed in the morning, with full voter participation.

Residents of Tam Thai commune casting ballots for National Assembly deputies and people's council for the 2026-2031 term, morning of 13/3. *Dinh Hung*

The early polling stations this morning were located in 12 communes: Huoi Tu with 13 stations, Na Ngoi 9, Muong Tip 7, Chau Khe 5, Tri Le 4, Bac Ly three, My Ly three, Mon Son three, Tam Thai three, Keng Du two, Muong Quang two, and Huu Khuong one station.

These are mountainous, border areas characterized by dispersed populations, difficult transportation, and many places cut off by rivers, streams, or hydroelectric reservoirs. Nghe An provincial leaders stated that organizing early voting aimed to create favorable conditions for voters in remote areas to participate easily, ensuring the election proceeded according to regulations.

Nghe An province established six electoral units for National Assembly deputies, 20 electoral units for provincial people's council deputies, 1,039 commune-level election committees, and designated 3,123 polling areas. The province will elect 16 deputies for the 16th National Assembly and 85 provincial people's council deputies for the 2026-2031 term.

The election team of Huoi Thum village, Na Ngoi commune (formerly part of Ky Son district) brought an auxiliary ballot box to the home of an elderly, infirm voter to assist them in casting their ballot. *Hung Le*

The election for deputies to the 16th National Assembly and people's councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term will take place nationwide on 15/3. Vietnamese citizens aged 18 and above as of election day, and not deprived of voting rights by law, are eligible to vote. Voters will choose 500 deputies for the 16th National Assembly from 864 candidates.

Duc Hung