Voting in the Senedd election
If you are 16 or over, you can use your voice to shape the future of Wales by voting in Senedd and local elections.
To vote in the Senedd election, you can find more information on:
How the voting system works
The way you vote in Senedd elections has changed.
You will now vote using a voting system called the ‘closed proportional list system’ to elect Members of the Senedd. This is a form of proportional representation.
This means the number of seats each party or independent candidate wins reflects the percentage of votes they receive.
The ballot paper will show a list of candidates for each political party and any independent candidates.
The parties choose the order that candidates appear on the list. The lists are ‘closed’ - this means that voters cannot change the order of those candidates.
The people at the top of the list are elected first.
How candidates are elected
The system used to allocate seats in the Senedd is the same system that was used to allocate regional seats at previous Senedd and Welsh Assembly elections.
The more votes a political party of independent candidate gets, the more seats they will win.
For example, if a political party wins three seats, the top three people people on their list will be elected to those seats, 96 Members of the Senedd will be elected in total.
For a more detailed description of how votes are allocated, go to electoralcommission.org.uk/senedd-voting
The count
The count is carried out in front of observers, including representatives from all political parties and candidates to ensure its integrity. This is so that everyone is satisfied that the final result reflects the actual votes cast.
