Why should I vote?
Your vote is a powerful thing. It lets you have your say on how the country is run. Whether you’re voting in an election, or a referendum, your vote is important. Your vote is one way you make your voice heard.
Why do the Senedd elections matter?
Every year, around £17 billion is spent in Wales, on things that affect your life like education and health services. You’ll have seen recently how decisions in Wales relating to the Covid-19 pandemic have been different to other parts of the UK.
The Senedd is responsible for making sure these decisions represent the interests of Wales and its people, by making laws for Wales, agreeing Welsh taxes and holding the Welsh Government to account.
How do I register to vote?
To be able to vote in an election in Wales, you need to be registered to vote. Registering to vote is quick and easy. We have information on the Senedd website about how you register to vote, as well as when you need to register by.
Will I be able to vote for my Members of the Senedd in the election?
Yes, if you are eligible and registered to vote in Wales.
You need to be on the electoral register to vote in elections in Wales. You can find more information about how to register and ways to vote on our website.
How does the Senedd voting system work?
Voting in a Senedd election is your chance to have your say about who’ll represent you and your community at the Senedd. Your vote can influence who’ll be in charge of the powers the Senedd and the Welsh Government has to shape life in Wales.
Everyone in Wales gets two votes in a Senedd election:
- Constituency vote
- Regional Vote
Constituency Member
Your first vote is for the person you want to represent you and your local area, known as your constituency.
There are 40 constituencies in Wales, each sending one person to the Senedd.
Constituency Members are chosen using the first-past-the-post system. This means, the person who gets most votes is elected, and represents you and your constituency in the Senedd.
You can see which constituency you’re in, and who represents you using the postcode search on our website.
Regional Member
Your second vote is to choose the people you want to represent your region of Wales.
There are five regions in Wales, each sending four people to the Senedd.
Regional Members are chosen using the Additional Member System. The Additional Member system helps the final make-up of the Senedd better reflect the support for each party across the country.
Here's how the regional system works:
- each party or group has a list of people ready to represent each region in Wales;
- you vote for the party you want to represent your region;
- each party’s total is divided by 1 + the number of Members of the Senedd it already has in that region who have won constituency seats;
- the party with the highest total after this calculation gets the next seat and the person on top of its list is elected;
- this is repeated until all four regional seats have been decided.
Two votes, Five Members
This voting system means you’re represented in the Senedd by five Members. One for your constituency and four for the region of Wales where you live.
In total, 60 people are sent to the Senedd from across the country to represent Wales, and its people.
All constituency and regional Members have equal status in the Senedd. This means the interests of all of Wales’ constituencies and regions are equally represented.
Who is eligible to vote?
To vote in a the Senedd election you must be registered to vote, 16 years of age or over on the day of the election (polling day) and:
- be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the European Union, or a qualifying foreign citizen
- be a resident in Wales, and
- not be subject to any legal incapacity to vote
Who is a qualifying Commonwealth citizen?
To qualify, Commonwealth citizens must be resident in Wales and either have leave to remain in the UK or not require such leave. Commonwealth citizens include those of British Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories.
A full list of eligible Commonwealth countries, British Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories can be downloaded from the Electoral Commission’s website.
Who is a citizen of the European Union?
An "EU citizen" is someone with citizenship of any one of the EU member states. A full list of EU member states can be downloaded from the Electoral Commission’s website.
Who is a qualifying foreign citizen?
A qualifying foreign citizen is a citizen of any other country outside of those identified as a Commonwealth country, British Crown Dependency, British Overseas Territory or EU Member State, who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who do not need such permission.
What happens at the polling station?
Voting at a polling station is very straightforward and there is always help available. Information on how to fill in your ballot paper will be provided by the polling clerk at your polling station.
You can find further information on the Electoral Commission’s website.
Do I need to take my polling card with me?
No, you do not need to take your polling card with you. You can still vote even if you’ve lost or misplaced it.
Are there special provisions for those with disabilities, and those who need assistance?
If you're not sure what to do, or need any help, just ask the staff at the polling station – they will be happy to assist you to cast your vote.
If you have a disability which means you can't fill in the ballot paper yourself, you can ask the Presiding Officer to mark the ballot paper for you.
If you have a visual impairment, you can ask for a large print ballot paper, or a special voting device, to help you cast your vote.
Do I have to go to a polling station to vote?
No. You can also choose to vote by post, or to vote by proxy.
Vote by post
If you’re 16 or over, you can apply for a postal vote to use in Senedd and local elections in Wales. You don’t need to give a reason.
You’ll need to fill in a postal vote application form. You can get this from your contact your local Electoral Registration Office.
When Senedd and local elections take place in Wales, you’ll be sent your ballot paper, along with instructions about how to fill it in.
You’ll only be sent this when you’re 16 or over at the time of a Senedd or local election.
To apply for a postal vote, you must be registered to vote first.
The deadline to apply for a postal vote for the elections on 6 May 2021 is 17.00 on Tuesday 20 April.
You must also be registered to vote by midnight on Monday 19 April.
Vote by proxy
If you’re 16 or over, you can apply for a proxy vote to use in Senedd and local elections in Wales. You’ll need to give a reason for why you want to vote by proxy.
A proxy vote means you choose someone you trust to vote on your behalf. This can be helpful if you have a medical issue or disability that stops you going to a polling station, or if you’re planning to be abroad on election day.
To apply for a proxy vote, you must be registered to vote first. The person you choose to vote on your behalf also needs to be registered to vote.
You can find further information on the Electoral Commission’s website.
The deadline to apply for a proxy vote for the elections on 6 May 2021 is 17.00 on Tuesday 27 April.
You must also be registered to vote by midnight on Monday 19 April.
