Da Nang, (VNA) 𒐪– The Election Committee of the central city of Da Nang has issued a document directing the organisation of online meetings between voters and candidates to the 15th National Assembly and city People’s Council in the 2021-2026 tenure.

The document No. 82/UBBC, released on May 6, clarifies that amid the complicated COVID-19 developments, the organisation of online meetings between candidates and voters in the online format will help ensure the effectiveness of COVID-19 prevention and control during election campaigns. The decision is made following request of the city Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committee. Accordingly, the municipal Election Committee asked the city People’s Committee to direct relevant agencies to build plans and prepare technical equipment to ensure smooth and safe connections from the city to localities. Da Nang has 10 candidates running for seats in the 15th NA and 89 in the election of deputies to the city People’s Council in the 2021-2026 tenure. According to the regulation, prior to the Election Day, each NA candidate must hold at least 10 meetings with voters, while those running for seats at the city People’s Council should organise at least five meetings to present their action plans and call for votes. The city has planned to organise 95 voter meetings for the candidates. As part of efforts to prevent COVID-19 spreading, Da Nang has decided to cut down the number of the meetings, as well as the number of participants at each event. So far, the city has completed the publicizing of voter lists and biographies of 10 NA candidates and 89 candidates to the city People’s Council at 526 election units.

From May 8, the city will start conducting the meetings, which will strictly follow regulations on pandemic prevention and control and the Health Ministry’s “5K message,” which comprises khau trang (face masks), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distancing), khong tu tap (no gatherings), and khai bao y te (health declarations).

In order to ensure safety, the city Electioಌn Committee asked voters attending meetings with the candidates to strictly implement the “5K message”.

Right after detecting COVID-19 infections in the community, Da Nang has prepared specific plans to prevent the spreading of the pandemic, especially during the elections. In case the pandemic prolongs to the election day, the city will regulate the time for voters to cast their votes in a suitable manner, avoiding the gathering of large numbers of people at the same time. For voters in quarantined sites and lockdown areas, election units will prepare additional polling boxes to enable the voters to cast their votes at their places under the supervision of medical staff. The total number of voters in Da Nang  by April 12 was 755,438. So far, districts, wards and communes across Da Nang have basically completed the preparations of infrastructure for the election, including polling boxes, the boards for listing voters’ names and the biographies of candidates, and infrastructure and decorations at polling stations. The national election will be held on May 23, 2021, which falls on Sunday, as agreed by legislators during the 10th sitting of the 14th National Assembly. There will be a total of 500 seats in the 15th National Assembly at both central and local levels, according to a resolution adopted by the NA Standing Committee. The number of NA deputies at central level will be 207, accounting for 41.4 percent and 293 come from the local level or 58.6 percent. Of the total figure, about 95 lawmakers or 14 percent will be members of the Party Central Committee, including Politburo members. The number of ethnic minority deputies is expected to account for 18 percent of the number of official nominees to the NA and female deputies should reach at least 35 percent, said the resolution. According to the municipal Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, Da Nang confirmed two new COVID-19 cases on May 7./.