The Tamesis
March 16, 2026
Hanoi – Tạ Thị Yên, deputy chairman of the National Assembly’s Deputy Affairs Committee and executive deputy director of the National Election Commission Office, said that as of 10:10 pm on Sunday, the national voter turnout reached 99.64%.
Previously, the Ministry of Interior reported that according to the latest data from the National Election Commission Office, as of 8 pm that day, more than 76.04 million voters across the country had participated in the 2026-31 election of representatives to the 16th National Congress and People’s Assembly at all levels, accounting for 99.38% of the total voters.
Lao Cai Province was the first place to complete voting, which ended at 5:45 p.m., and together with Hue Province, it was the two provinces and municipalities among the country’s 34 provinces and municipalities to achieve a 100% turnout rate.
Notably, Lao Cai reported 173 voters aged 100 or above, including 31 men and 142 women. The oldest voter is Giàng Nủ Súa, 114 years old.
The voting rate in most places exceeded 99%, including Ha Tinh Province (99.99%), Lai Chau Province (99.97%), Tuyen Quang Province (99.96%), Hue Province (99.92%), Kien Bien Province (99.91%), Liang Son Province (99.82%), Thai Nguyen Province (99.82%) %), Ca Mau Province (99.81%), Vinh Long Province (99.67%), Can Tho Province (99.35%), Nghe An Province (99.34%), Danang Province (99.92%), Tay Ninh Province (99.04%), Gia Lai Province (99.02%) and Quang Ngai Province (99.01%).
Across the country, no electoral unit had a turnout below 50%.
Preliminary assessments show that most provinces in the northern mountainous area completed voting ahead of schedule with high turnout, including Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Tuyen Quang, Dien Bien, Liang Son and Thai Nguyen provinces. Although these provinces have relatively small electorates (about one million voters in total), they are located in areas with complex terrain.
At the same time, some provinces and cities with more than 3 million voters and large fluctuations in turnout rates still achieved participation rates of more than 99%, reflecting the tremendous efforts of local election authorities.
As of the end of voting, polling stations across the country were in order and stable, and election regulations were strictly observed. Public sentiment generally reflects strong trust, support and recognition of the value of voting.
Domestic and foreign media continued to pay close attention to and report on the election. The report focuses on the dynamics of polling stations in various provinces and cities, highlighting the participation of party and state leaders, members of the armed forces, elderly voters, first-time young voters, ethnic minorities, religious figures, and voters in remote areas such as borders, islands, and mountainous areas.
As of 7 p.m., domestic newspapers, magazines, online platforms and other media had published a total of 6,402 reports and articles about the election.
Throughout the process, political security and social order remained stable, and no major incidents or abnormalities occurred.
