Senedd election 2026
↓ When was the last Senedd election?
↓ How many people voted in the last Senedd election?
↓ What happens to petitions during a Senedd election?
↓ How did the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) change in 2026?
Voting information
↓ How has the way you vote changed?
Members of the Senedd
↓ Why does the Senedd need more Members?
Senedd building and logistics
↓ Will the design of the Senedd need to alter to accommodate additional Members?
↓ How much will the changes cost?
After the election
↓ Will the Welsh Parliament meet more often?
↓ How many Welsh Ministers will there be?
↓ How many Presiding Officers will the Senedd have?
↓ Will Senedd elections happen more often?
↓ Will political parties be able to update their lists?
Frequently Asked Questions
Senedd election 2026
When was the last Senedd election?
The next Senedd election was held on 7 May 2026.
Explore previous Senedd election results, including by-elections.
How many people voted in the last Senedd election?
Over 1.2 million voted in the last Senedd election on 7 May 2026. Based on valid votes, the turnout was 51.6%. This compares to 46.6% at the 2021 election. This is the highest turnout at any Senedd election. (‘Valid votes’ means ballot papers that have not been spoilt or disallowed).
Senedd Research has produced an article which gives more information about turnout at previous Senedd elections and how this compares to UK general elections.
What happens to petitions during a Senedd election?
Most petitions currently under consideration are expected to close in March. The current Petitions Committee may choose to refer a limited number of these to the next Petitions Committee for follow-up after the election.
Any open petitions that are collecting signatures will be paused when the Senedd is dissolved. During this period, they will not be able to receive new signatures. They will automatically become active again once the new Presiding Officer reopens the petitions system after the election.
How did the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) change in 2026?
- 96 Members: From 2026, the Senedd is made up of 96 Members.
- A new voting system: Members of the Senedd were elected through a closed proportional list system, where voters choose either a political party or an independent candidate.
- New constituencies: Wales has 16 constituencies. These were created by pairing the 32 UK Parliament constituencies for Wales. Six Members of the Senedd have been elected in each constituency.
- New rules: Anyone standing for election in Wales must live in Wales.
- More frequent elections: Senedd elections will take place every four years, starting from 2026.
What is my constituency?
For the 2026 Senedd election, Wales was split into 16 voting areas, called constituencies.
The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru created the new areas by pairing the 32 UK Parliament constituencies for Wales. They also considered local boundaries, road and transport links, and natural features like rivers and mountains.
You can find your new constituency by entering your postcode into our constituency finder map.
Voting information
How has the way you vote changed?
Starting at the 2026 Senedd election, Members of the Senedd are elected using a closed proportional list system. This means you vote for either a political party or an independent candidate, rather than individual people.
The ballot paper will show the full list of candidates in your constituency, so you can still see who you're voting for.
If a party or independent candidate wins enough votes in your area, they will win one or more seats in the Senedd. Seats are allocated based on the percentage of votes each party or independent candidate receives, using a method called the D’Hondt formula.
Members of the Senedd
Why does the Senedd need more Members?
The Senedd has had the same number of Members for 25 years, despite an increase in its powers.
The Senedd now possesses full law-making powers and the ability to raise taxes in Wales, which it could not do when it was created in 1999.
More Members will give the Senedd greater ability to look at and challenge the Welsh Government’s plans and spending on major issues like the health service, education and transport, giving your community a stronger voice when these decisions are made.
The changes will strengthen and prepare the Senedd for the future.
The Senedd is the smallest parliament in the UK and one of the smallest in Europe. Increasing the number of Members to 96 will bring it more in line with other countries of a similar size to Wales, like Scotland which has 129 Members and Northern Ireland which has 90.
There has been a lot of research into whether the Senedd has enough Members.
In 2011, there was a public vote (referendum) on whether the then Assembly should have more law-making powers. A total of 63.5% of voters were in favour of the change.
In 2015, the Assembly Commission published a report looking at the future of the National Assembly for Wales. It unanimously called for more Members, stating the Assembly was “underpowered and overstretched”.
Previous research conducted by the Expert Panel on Assembly Electoral Reform, the Committee on Senedd Electoral Reform and the Special Purpose Committee on Senedd Reform, all recognised the need for change and growth.
Senedd building and logistics
Will the design of the Senedd need to alter to accommodate additional Members?
The Senedd’s debating chamber, the Siambr, has been altered to accommodate all 96 Members. Work started in April 2025 and was completed in spring 2026.
The original design of the Siambr, by architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP), allowed room for expansion if there was ever an increase in Members. Although this is still the case, work needs to be done to install things like desks and ICT equipment.
Find out more: 20 Years of the Senedd Building: Inside the Welsh Parliament
How much will the changes cost?
This is the biggest change to the Senedd since it was established in 1999. The total costs of these changes are not yet known as they are dependent on things like how new Senedd Members will want the Senedd to operate after the 2026 election.
Throughout the process, the Senedd Commission aims to provide maximum benefits and value for money.
The Senedd Commission’s Budget 2025-26 proposes a 16% increase in spending to support a 60% increase in Members.
These estimates will be kept under constant review, and cost savings will be made wherever possible.
After the election
Will the Welsh Parliament meet more often?
One of the first decisions Members will make after the election is how to organise parliamentary business. They will need to plan time for both Plenary (when all Members meet in the debating chamber) and committee meetings.
The Future Senedd Committee was set up to help with this. It has already looked at different ways to organise Senedd business, such as adding a third day for Plenary or having a multi-week timetable, like some schools. A multi-week timetable could include, for example, week one focussing on plenary, the second a mixed week and the third focussing on committee work.
The Committee published a report giving its recommendations after looking at the pros and cons of each approach. However, the final decision will rest with the newly elected Members of the Senedd when they meet after the election.
How many Presiding Officers will the Senedd have?
The current Senedd has one Llywydd (Presiding Officer) and one Deputy Presiding Officer. After the 2026 election, Members can choose whether to elect a second Deputy Presiding Officer if they think the position is needed.
How many Welsh Ministers will there be?
After the 2026 election the First Minister can appoint a cabinet of up to 17 ministers and deputy ministers, or up to 19 with the Senedd’s approval. This does not include the First Minister and the Counsel General, the Welsh Government’s chief legal adviser.
Will Senedd elections happen more often?
Yes. Senedd elections will take place every four years, starting from 2026.
If a Member of the Senedd leaves their seat, will there be a by-election or will the next person on the party list replace them?
There will not be a by-election if a Member leaves their seat between Senedd elections. If a Member vacates their seat during the term, they will be replaced by the next eligible person on the political party list they were elected on.
If the Member is elected as an independent candidate, or the political party’s list has no more eligible persons, the seat will remain vacant until the next Senedd election.
Will political parties be able to update their lists?
No. Once final, political party lists cannot be updated throughout a term. They will remain fixed as they were at the time of the Senedd election.
Will Members be allowed to change parties during their term or change to sit as an independent Member?
There is nothing in the legislation that would stop a Member from changing parties or changing to sit as an independent Member. Membership of political groups in the Senedd is currently dealt with in the Senedd’s Standing Orders (1.3). Political parties will also have their own views on this.
If a Member of the Senedd leaves their seat (for example, by resigning or being disqualified) after switching to a different political party, their replacement will be the next eligible and willing candidate from the party list they were originally elected on.
So if someone was elected as a Member for Party A, later joined Party B, and then resigned, their seat would go to the next person on the Party A list.
