​The elections for the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026 - 2031 term are a major political event for the country, providing an opportunity for voters nationwide to exercise their democratic rights and directly select outstanding representatives worthy of conveying the will and aspirations of the people in state power bodies.

Voting began at 7a.m and will continue until 7p.m on the same day. Depending on local conditions, election committees may decide to start voting earlier but not before 5 a.m, or end later but no later than 9 p.m. on the same day.

According to reports from all 34 provinces and cities, the country has a total of 78,928,647 voters casting their ballots at 72,195 polling stations. Each voter is entitled to cast one ballot for a National Assembly deputy and one ballot for a member of the People’s Council corresponding to each level of council for which they are eligible to vote.

Earlier, the National Election Council announced the official list of 864 candidates standing for election to the 16th National Assembly across 182 constituencies nationwide to elect 500 deputies.

For provincial-level People’s Councils, a total of 2,552 members will be elected from 4,217 candidates. For commune-level People’s Councils, 72,611 members will be elected from 120,873 candidates.

Amid the vibrant and celebratory atmosphere of Election Day, regarded as a national festival of the people on the morning of March 15, General Secretary To Lam, Secretary of the Central Military Commission, and a central delegation arrived at Polling Area No. 2 in Ba Dinh Ward, Hanoi, to cast ballots for deputies to the 16th National Assembly and members of People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026 - 2031 term.​

Immediately after the formal opening ceremony of the election, General Secretary To Lam; Permanent Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu; Politburo members, Secretariat members and members of the Party Central Committee, along with central and city leaders, elderly voters and young voters, cast the first ballots.

Also on the morning of March 15, President Luong Cuong attended the opening ceremony of the elections for deputies to the 16th National Assembly and members of People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026 - 2031 term and cast his ballot at Polling Area No. 26 in Hoan Kiem Ward, Hanoi.

At Polling Station No. 21 under Constituency No. 7 in Tay Ho Ward, Hanoi, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse fulfilled their civic duty by casting the first ballots to select the most deserving candidates to serve as deputies to the 16th National Assembly and members of People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026 - 2031 term.

During the morning, voter turnout at Polling Station No. 21 quickly reached a high level. Many voters said they wished to complete their civic duty early during the nationwide festival of democracy.

After reviewing the list of candidates for deputies to the 16th National Assembly and members of People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026 - 2031 term, the Prime Minister and his spouse received their ballots and exercised their voting rights in accordance with regulations. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s participation in the vote alongside local voters demonstrated the exemplary spirit and sense of responsibility of the head of government, while underscoring the profound significance of the election, an important political activity in which the will, aspirations and mastery of the people are expressed through each ballot.

At Polling Area No. 14 at Do Van Day Secondary School in Hoc Mon Commune, Ho Chi Minh City, National Assembly Chairman and Chairman of the National Election Council Tran Thanh Man attended the opening ceremony of the elections for deputies to the 16th National Assembly and members of People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026 - 2031 term and cast his ballot.

At exactly 6:45 a.m, delegates and voters performed the flag-saluting ceremony. Afterwards, the commune-level election committee informed voters about the voting procedures and regulations. The election team inspected the ballot box and the mobile ballot box designated for elderly voters and people with disabilities voting at home, under the supervision of two voters.

He was then joined by Tran Luu Quang, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, and other voters at Polling Area No. 14, who proceeded in turn into the voting room to exercise their voting rights.