Daytime count confirmed for May Senedd election in Wales

Wales will count votes during the day following next year’s landmark Senedd election, it has been confirmed. 🗳️

Voters will head to the polls on Thursday, May 7, to elect members to an expanded Welsh Parliament under an entirely new voting system. The count will begin after 9am on Friday, May 8, instead of overnight.

Wales’ electoral management board says returning officers must start counting before 11am on the day after the election. It will be only the second time a daytime count has been used for a Senedd election, following the 2021 poll.

The decision means more people can follow results as they’re declared without staying up all night. Election staff will also be well-rested, with all resources available for a secure and efficient count.

Chief executive of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru, Shereen Williams MBE, said: “Returning officers and their teams are already working tirelessly to deliver a smooth and secure election on May 8.”

She added: “A daytime count helps to make sure that more people are able to watch the all-important counting of the votes. The clarity given will also help returning officers to recruit and manage the workload of their election staff.”

The election is particularly significant as voters will have their say under a new system for the first time. The Senedd will expand from 60 to 96 members, representing 16 new, larger constituencies. Each constituency will elect six members through a proportional system using the D’Hondt formula. 📊

Polling suggests this could be the first time Welsh Labour loses control of the Senedd, with the party projected to take as few as 11 seats. Plaid Cymru and Reform UK currently lead the polls, with both parties projected to win 37 seats each.