 "Ballots are small in size but huge in value," said President Ho Chi Minh. |
President Ho Chi Minh once said that ballots are small in size but huge in value. Vietnamese people suffered great hardships and sacrificed many lives to defeat feudalism and colonialism and win the right to vote. Voting in general elections is the precious right and sacred duty of every voter, said President Ho Chi Minh.
Holding democratic elections
During the first general election of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1946, Lieutenant-General Khuat Duy Tien, former Commander of Army Corps No.3, was mobilized to help voters read the election materials and cast their ballot at Dai Dong village, Thach That district, Hanoi. He recalled his memories of Vietnam’s first general elections.
“People were excited to go to the polls to elect National Assembly deputies. Everybody, including the children, were as if they were celebrating a New Year Festival. Life was different than it was under French domination. We were able to vote for competent people.”
At a Congress to welcome the candidates for the 1st National Assembly election, President Ho Chi Minh said, “For the common interests of the nation as well as personal interests, voters must fulfill their duty to go to the polls on election day.”
He added the Vietnamese people have the freedom to choose the right people to represent them in shouldering national affairs, so voting for the deputies of the National Assembly and People’s Councils is a chance for people to exercise their right of mastery.
Elections of the National Assembly and People’s Councils in the past always saw high voter turnout – over 97% of the population. Turnout for elections for the current National Assembly and People’s Councils was 99.35%.
To elect deserving people
Vietnamese law says voting is not only a right but also a duty – the right to elect people to represent them at state agencies, the duty to elect truly deserving people to pass law, set policies, guide socio-economic development.
Voter Nguyen Viet Thuy of Hanoi said, “Each voter casts a ballot together with millions of other voters. Each individual vote is important to elect people to shoulder national issues. People want their representatives to work hard to improve their lives and boost socio-economic development.”
Vice Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee on Legal Affairs Nguyen Van Pha said, “The right to vote is stipulated by the Constitution to be sacred political right. I hope that on election day all voters will go to the poll to cast their ballot and make the election a success.”