You might have heard that the next Senedd (Welsh Parliament) election on 7 May 2026 will be different from the past ones, but what’s changing?
Here’s a quick guide:
- 96 Members
From the election in May 2026, the Senedd will have 96 Members instead of 60. - New voting system
Everyone 16+ will now have one vote, choosing a political party or independent candidate. - New constituencies
Wales will have 16 constituencies. Each constituency will elect six Members.
Why are the changes happening?
The Senedd has come a long way since it was established 25 years ago. It now has more powers to pass laws on things which affect your everyday life, like hospitals, education, and transport.
Having 96 Members will give the Senedd greater ability to look at and challenge the Welsh Government’s plans and spending. It also brings the Senedd in line with other countries of a similar size to Wales, like Scotland which has 129 Members and Northern Ireland which has 90.
After the election, you’ll have six Members representing you, giving you more choice over who to contact if you have an issue or concern.
Who decided change was needed?
The Welsh Government proposed the law that will bring about the changes to the Senedd. The proposals were based on the recommendations of the Special Purpose Committee on Senedd Reform, published in 2022.
They considered 20 years of previous research, including:
- 2004: The Richard Commission
- 2014: The Silk Commission
- 2017: The Expert Panel on Assembly Electoral Reform
- 2020: Committee on Senedd Electoral Reform
All of these recognised the need for change and growth.
How were people in Wales asked about the changes?
The changes to the Senedd have undergone multiple public consultations.
Let’s take a closer look:
- 2011
A public vote (referendum) showed 63.5% of voters supported giving the then Assembly more law-making powers.
- 2018
Over 3,200 people responded to a Senedd Commission consultation on proposals to change the voting system, who is eligible to vote, and the number of Members. Find out more and read some of the responses. - 2020
The Committee on Senedd Electoral Reform (CSER) ran public consultations on: the capacity of the Senedd, electing a more diverse Senedd and electoral systems and boundaries.
You can read the Committee’s recommendations and more about their evidence gathering in their report. - 2023
The Senedd’s Reform Bill Committee invited views on the proposed new law which would be needed to make the changes. You can read all the responses to the consultation and the Committee’s report on the Senedd website. - 2024
The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru ran two consultations on the new constituencies, receiving nearly 5,000 responses in total. After the first consultation they made changes to their proposals, including using different names for 14 constituencies.
Find out more and read the responses on their website.
Where can I find out more?
General information
New constituencies
New voting system
- How will the new voting system work at the 2026 Senedd election?
- Senedd election 2026: What is the D’Hondt formula and how does it work?
