National Assembly Elections

Poster encouraging people to vote

Float with loadspeaker encouraging vote for a candidate

Singer on stage outdoors at the lake

Voting station

Today is election day in Vietnam as they vote for 500 representatives to the 13th National Assembly and over 300,000 members of local People's Councils.  They have about 91,000 electoral districts.  In my morning amble around the lake, I passed at least 5 voting booths. At each booth was a large board with pictures of the candidates and bibliographies. According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), among 827 candidates to the NA membership, women account for 31.44 percent, non-Party members 14.27 percent, ethnic people 16.08 percent, re-candidates 22.13 percent, candidates under 40 years old 22.13 percent, and self-nominated candidates 1.81 percent. Of the candidates, post-graduate candidates make up 36.76 percent, university graduate candidates 59.49 percent, and under- college candidates 3.74 percent.  A "parade" with loudspeaker exhorting a vote followed by a float, motorscooters with flags went around at least 3 times.  There are posters everywhere encouraging people to vote.  As I approached the lake, I could hear music.  A stage was set up and dancers and singers were performing.  Sitting in chairs in front were a number of uniformed and older Vietnamese.  The music could be heard from the other end of the lake.  The performers were changing back stage. Throughout the city, the loudspeakers are playing music which I can hear as I sit in my hotel room.