2026 Senedd Election: Your Vote, Your Voice

The 2026 Senedd election is coming up on Thursday 7^th May, and it’s your chance to vote and make your voice heard.

The Senedd election is when people in Wales who are aged over 16 can vote for who you want to be your Member of the Senedd.

The Senedd is Welsh Parliament, and they make laws, policies and decisions for Wales.

Members of the Senedd represent you and your local area. They make sure your voice is heard when decisions are made about Wales.

Members of the Senedd can either be part of a political party or be an independent candidate.

• A political party is a group of people who share similar ideas about how the country should be run.
• An independent candidate is a person who is not part of a political party, and might not share the ideas of political parties.

Voting is your right, and it’s a way to have a say in who will make decisions about some of the things that affect your life.

To vote, you must register by Monday 20^th April 2026.

How to make your vote

Register to vote by 20^th April 2026

First, you need to be registered to vote. The deadline to register to vote is Monday 20^th April, so don’t wait!

The two main ways to vote are in person at a ‘polling station’ or by post. In some cases, you can choose to vote ‘by proxy’, which means that someone else can vote for who you choose for you.

You can register to vote online: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Or by using this Easy Read form: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6890bc2d23e00ee4ad463eb5/Register_to_Vote_-_Easy_to_Read_Form_-_Wales.pdf

Prepare to vote in person

Polling stations

Once registered, you will receive a poll card through the post that tells you when and where to vote.

The place you go to vote is called a polling station, and it is usually in a community building such as a hall, school or church.

Your polling station will be close to where you live.

Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 7^th May. You can decide what time you will go, who will go with you, and how you will get there.

Bringing ID

You do not need to bring any ID with you to vote in this Senedd election. PLEASE NOTE: Because you need ID to vote in UK Westminster elections, some people may say you need it to vote in Senedd elections. You don’t.

Support with voting in person

Polling stations have support for people with learning disabilities. You can ask for help from staff, bring someone with you to assist, or use tools like large print ballot papers and tactile voting devices.

You can think about what support you would like before you go to the polling station.

What to do at the polling station

Check-in with staff: When you arrive, you’ll need to give your name and address to the polling station staff. They will give you a ballot paper.

Go to the voting booth: Take your ballot paper to a voting booth. The booth is private, so you can vote in secret, but you can bring someone in with you if you need support.

Mark your ballot paper: Follow the instructions to mark your choice clearly. If you’re unsure, you can ask the staff for help.

Submit your vote: Once you’ve marked your ballot paper, fold it and put it in the ballot box.

Prepare to vote by post

If you have applied to vote by post, you will receive your ballot paper through the post.

A ballot paper is the form that you fill in to make your vote.

You can complete this form at home and return it through the post to your local council using the pre-paid and addressed envelope they provide.

There are instructions that tell you how to complete your postal vote included with your ballot paper.

Your postal vote needs to arrive with your local council by 10pm on Thursday 7^th May for it to be counted – so post your vote as soon as possible.

If you forget to send your postal vote, you can take your completed ballot paper to your local polling station on Thursday 7^th May, and hand it in to one of the members of staff.

Voting by post means:

• You can vote before polling day
• You can vote even if you are busy on polling day
• You don’t have to go to the polling station
• You can take more time to complete your vote
• You can avoid queues and crowds of people

Need More Help? Useful guides and resources:

How to Vote in Wales 2026 – Online workshop for voters with learning disabilities and/or autism: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-vote-in-wales-2026-digital-workshop-tickets-1983771457832?aff=oddtdtcreator

Easy Read form to register to vote: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6890bc2d23e00ee4ad463eb5/Register_to_Vote_-_Easy_to_Read_Form_-_Wales.pdf

Guidance for Support Workers: https://www.myvotemyvoice.org.uk/supporting-voters/i-am-a-carer-or-support-worker/

Easy Read Wales guide to voting in the 2026 Senedd elections (English): https://www.easyread.wales/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Easy-Read-Guide-to-Voting-in-the-2026-Senedd-Election-English.pdf

Easy Read Wales guide to voting in the 2026 Senedd elections (Welsh): https://www.easyread.wales/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Easy-Read-Guide-to-Voting-in-the-2026-Senedd-Election-Welsh.pdf

Electoral Commission – Easy Read guide to voting in the 2026 Senedd elections: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/sites/default/files/2026-03/Your-Easy-Read-Guide-To-Voting-In-The-Senedd-Election-2026-English.pdf

Easy Read guide to understanding the changes to the Senedd: https://www.ldw.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Your-Senedd-is-Changing-1.pdf

Voting passport – a form you can fill out before voting that sets out what support to vote you would like: https://s42558.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/V3-Sep-2023-MVMV-A4-passport-c1.pdf

More great resources and workshops from Learning Disability Wales: https://www.ldw.org.uk/project/ready-to-vote/