How does the new Welsh voting system work?
The 2026 Senedd election uses a brand-new system. Here's how the 96 seats get shared out — visually, step by step.
- 96seatsin the new Senedd
- 16super-constituencieseach electing 6
- 6membersfrom each area
- 1votefor one party
This is the Senedd that voters choose in May.
96 elected members. Up from 60 in the previous Senedd. Each dot below is one seat. The colours show what the latest YouGov / ITV Wales polling projects after the votes are counted.
Wales is divided into 16 super-constituencies.
Each is roughly twice the size of an old Welsh constituency, formed by pairing them up. Every constituency elects 6 members — that's where the 16 × 6 = 96 comes from.
You vote for one party. Not one person.
This is the biggest change. In the old system you voted for a named local candidate. In 2026 you mark one box for the party you want — they decide which of their candidates actually take the seats they win.
- Plaid CymruRhun ap Iorwerth
- Reform WalesDan Thomas
- Wales Green PartyAnthony Slaughter
- Welsh ConservativesDarren Millar
- Welsh LabourEluned Morgan
- Welsh Liberal DemocratsJane Dodds
How 6 seats get shared out in one constituency.
The system is called D'Hondt. The rule is simple: the party with the highest score gets the next seat, then their score is divided to give other parties a fairer chance for the remaining seats.
Sharing 6 seats in one constituency.
Based on the polling for Afan Ogwr Rhondda. Tap Next to step through each of the six seats, one by one.
- Reform36.0%
- Plaid29.0%
- Labour17.0%
- Greens5.0%
- Conservatives4.0%
- Lib Dems4.0%
The party with the highest vote share gets the first seat. Once they've won a seat, their score is divided by 2 for the next round (then 3, then 4, and so on). The next highest score wins each subsequent seat.
Three things worth knowing.
- 01
Smaller parties can actually win seats.
Under the old system, a party needed to come first in a constituency to win anything. Under D’Hondt, even a party with 10–15% of the vote often picks up a seat. Greens, Lib Dems, and others have a real chance now.
- 02
The 6th seat is where your vote moves the needle.
The first 4–5 seats in a constituency are usually predictable from polling. The 6th seat is the one that flips. If you want your vote to actually swing a seat, the question is which party is fighting for that 6th spot in your area.
- 03
You vote for the party — they pick the people.
Each party publishes a ranked list of candidates. If they win 3 seats, the top 3 names take them. So your vote is a vote for the party’s programme as a whole, not for an individual.