Using your vote in Wales

The Senedd election is taking place on Thursday 7 May 2026. Here’s what you need to know if you want to vote.

The election is an important opportunity to have our say on the issues which matter to us. It’s a chance to say who we want to represent us in the Senedd.

But if you want to vote, there are some important things you need to do. Below you can find information about who can vote, how to register to vote and ways to vote.

What does this election decide?

The election is to decide the 96 Members of the Senedd who make decisions on devolved issues in Wales, including things like how the NHS is run in Wales and what additional support is available for unpaid carers.

The election will decide:

which party or parties form the Welsh Government
who becomes First Minister
which parties will have representatives in the Senedd

Who can vote?

You can vote in Welsh elections, if you are:

16 or over on the day of the election
a British, Irish, Commonwealth or European Union (EU) citizen, or a qualifying foreign national with permission to stay in the UK
registered to vote in Wales

You must be registered to vote to be able to vote on the day.

How do I register to vote?

The deadline for registering to vote in this year’s Senedd election is midnight, Monday 20 April 2026.

Nobody is automatically registered to vote. If you’ve never registered, you’ve recently moved or you’ve changed your name or nationality, you’ll need to register.

You can register to vote online or post a paper form to your local Electoral Registration Office.

To register online, visit the website, scroll down and click the green “Start now” button. You’ll need your National Insurance number to complete the process.

To register using a paper form, you have two options:

Download and fill in a voter registration form here then send it to your local Electoral Registration Office
Contact your local Electoral Registration Office, who can post you a paper form

Your local Electoral Registration office can provide support if you need assistance registering to vote.

Are there voter identification rules?

Photo ID is not required to vote in Senedd elections. In Wales, Photo ID is only required for UK Parliamentary elections.

What are the ways I can vote?

For some of us it might be difficult to get to a polling station on election day. So there are three ways we can vote. Voting is free and there are no charges to vote in person, by post or by proxy.

Voting in person

Polling stations will be open on Thursday 7 May, from 7am to 10pm.

You will receive a poll card by post prior to the election, telling you where your polling station is to vote in person.

You must vote at the polling station listed on your poll card but you do not need to take your poll card with you to vote.

Returning Officers are responsible for the smooth running of the election in a local area. Under the Equality Act 2010, they have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to remove any significant barriers disabled people may face when voting.

The Elections Act 2022 updated the rules to provide provisions to support blind, partially sighted and other disabled voters at polling stations. This applies across the UK.

The Electoral Commission says that disabled voters should be supported at polling stations with:

appropriate lighting
badges identifying polling station staff
chairs/seating
magnifiers
pencil grips
polling booth at wheelchair level
ramps (for buildings with steps)
tactile voting device
temporary alerters or temporary doorbells for any doors that are required to remain shut during the day (for example, fire doors)

Support marking your ballot

If your MS makes it difficult to mark your ballot paper on your own, you can bring someone with you to the polling station to help. Your companion must be over 18 years old and must complete a companion declaration form. You can ask for this form at the polling station on the day of the election.

Voting by post

If it’s difficult to get to the polling station, you can vote by post. You don’t need to give a reason to vote by post. Lots of people choose to vote by post. You might be away from home or may be unable to get to the polling station on the day of the election. However, you must apply in advance.

If you want to vote by post, you must apply for a postal vote by 5pm, Tuesday 21 April 2026.

You must print out and complete a postal vote application form and send it to your local Electoral Registration Office. If you cannot print a form, your Electoral Registration Office can send one to you by post.

Postal ballot packs are sent out before polling day and must be completed and returned by the deadline shown.

Voting by proxy

If you cannot vote in person, you may be able to ask someone to vote on your behalf. This is called a proxy vote. You can only vote by proxy in certain circumstances such as being away on polling day, being in hospital, having a medical issue or being disabled.

If you want to vote by proxy, you must apply for a proxy vote by 5pm, Tuesday 28 April 2026

You can apply for a proxy vote by printing out and filling in this form: Application to vote by proxy in Wales at a particular election. After completing the form, post it to your local Electoral Registration Office.

Emergency proxy vote

If you miss this deadline, you might be able to apply for an emergency proxy vote. You can apply up until 5pm on election day. The government’s website has more information about emergency proxy voting.