Senedd Changes: What you need to know

Key decisions by the next Senedd and Welsh Government will shape the future of Welsh agriculture - and May’s 2026 election will bring a new way of electing our representatives. FUW’s Senedd and Parliamentary Affairs Officer, George Lewes, explains…

Under the previous voting system in Wales, used to elect Members to the Senedd since 1999, voters were given two votes, and Members of the Senedd (MSs) were elected in two different ways.

The first vote was for a constituency representative, using the traditional “first past the post” system. Voters could choose a single candidate to represent their local area, and the candidate with the most votes would win. Previously, 40 MSs were elected in this way, mirroring the system used to elect Members of Parliament at the UK level.

The second vote was cast for a political party at a regional level. Wales was divided into five regions, and each region elected four MSs using a “closed list” system, where parties put forward ranked lists of candidates. A total of 20 MSs were elected through this method. 

This second vote was designed to make election outcomes more proportional, helping to ensure that the overall number of MSs from each political party more closely reflected their share of the total vote across Wales.

In contrast, a purely “first past the post” system often produces results where the number of representatives from each party does not accurately reflect their overall share of the vote.

New voting system

Under the new system, passed into law by the Senedd in 2024, the total number of Members of the Senedd (MSs) will increase from 60 to 96. The old constituencies and regions have now been abolished, after the Senedd was formally dissolved at the start of the election campaign period (traditionally known as 'purdah'). They have been replaced by 16 new, larger constituencies, each formed by combining two of the existing 32 UK Parliament constituencies in Wales.

Each of these new constituencies will elect six MSs using a fully proportional “closed list” voting system, similar to the one previously used to elect regional MSs under the Additional Member System (AMS).

Voters will now cast a single vote, choosing a political party or an independent candidate rather than an individual representative. Seats will then be allocated based on the proportion of votes each party or independent receives within a constituency. In practice, a party will need around 10-11% of the vote to secure a seat, with additional seats awarded as their vote share increases.

Seats are distributed using a calculation called the D’Hondt formula, which ensures that the number of MSs elected for each party closely reflects their share of the vote.

Political parties can nominate up to eight candidates per constituency, ranked in order. If a party wins multiple seats, they are filled by candidates from the top of the list downwards. For example, if a party wins three seats, its top three listed candidates will be elected. Although the full list of candidates will appear on the ballot paper, voters will not be able to select individual candidates - only a party or independent.

The reforms also introduce several other changes. Senedd elections will now take place every four years instead of every five. Candidates standing for election must live in Wales, and voting rights are extended to all individuals aged 16 and over.

Registering to vote 

To take part in Senedd elections, individuals must be registered to vote. Registration can be completed online and requires basic personal details such as name, address, date of birth, and National Insurance number. People must register by the official deadline ahead of an election in order to be eligible to vote, whether in person, by post, or by proxy.

The deadline to register to vote for the May election is 11:59 on April 20, 2026. Find out more about how to register to vote on the UK Government website.

FUW Manifesto

Ahead of the election, the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has launched its 2026 Senedd manifesto, “Tir - Teulu - Treftadaeth - Standing Strong for Family Farms.” The manifesto outlines the FUW’s key policy priorities and calls on the next Welsh Government to deliver stability, sustainability, and long-term support for Welsh family farms. The full manifesto is available to read online here.

In the run-up to the election, the FUW is actively engaging with candidates from across the political spectrum. This includes hosting farm visits, organising hustings events, and providing briefings to ensure that the challenges and priorities facing Welsh farmers are clearly understood by those seeking election.