Elections in Wales

Last updated

There are four types of elections in Wales: elections to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elections to the devolved Senedd (Welsh Parliament; Welsh : Senedd Cymru), local elections to community councils and the 22 principal areas, and the Police and Crime Commissioner elections. In addition there are by-elections for each aforementioned election. Elections are held on Election Day, which is conventionally a Thursday. Three of these four types of elections are held after fixed periods; the exception is UK general elections, the timing of which is at the discretion of the prime minister of the United Kingdom. Senedd elections may be postponed to avoid elections to the UK parliament and Senedd coinciding with each other.

The two electoral systems used for elections in Wales are: first-past-the-post (for UK elections, Police and Crime Commissioner elections and local elections, though individual local authorities are able to move to STV under recent Welsh legislation) and the additional member system (for Senedd elections). The supplementary vote system was previously used for Police and Crime Commissioner elections, until the system was switched for those elections to first-past-the-post under provision made by the Elections Act 2022.

Local government elections

The results of the 2017 local elections, showing control party by council (left), and largest party by ward (right). 2017 Welsh Local Elections - Ward and Council Control.svg
The results of the 2017 local elections, showing control party by council (left), and largest party by ward (right).

There are elections to 22 unitary authorities across Wales every four years, most recently on 5 May 2022. The electoral system used is first-past-the-post. The largest unitary authorities in Wales are Cardiff, Newport and Swansea councils, which all lie in the southern coastal belt.

Police and crime commissioner elections

Police and crime commissioners were established in England and Wales, replacing the local police authorities, following the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition agreement of 2010, with the first Police and crime commissioners elected in 2012.

Devolved parliament elections

There have been six elections to the devolved parliament of Wales, based in Cardiff Bay since 1999. These elections are held every five years to elect sixty Members of the Senedd (MSs; formerly Assembly Members, ASs). Voters have two votes: forty MSs are elected by the First Past the Post system in individual constituencies, and a further twenty MSs are elected by a regional top-up system in which voters vote by region. This system overall is called Additional Members System (AMS) and is a hybrid electoral system mixing both a plurality system (FPTP) and a proportional system (the party list system). The regions are: Mid and West Wales, North Wales, South Wales Central, South Wales East and South Wales West, whereas the constituencies are the same used for elections to the UK parliament. Each region elects four MSs, to achieve approximately proportional representation overall, with every individual in Wales being represented by five MSs in total, their local constituency MS and four regional MSs. Between its inception in 1999, it was known as the 'National Assembly for Wales'. Legislation was passed in 2020, for a name change on 6 May 2020 to its current name, 'Senedd Cymru' or the 'Welsh Parliament' (or simply 'Senedd') to fully reflect its constitutional status as a law-making and tax-setting parliament. [1] It is based in Cardiff Bay, initially (as the Assembly) in Tŷ Hywel from 1999 to 2006, until it moved to the Senedd building, which opened on 1 March 2006, where the Assembly and now Senedd has been based since 2006. The elections were held every four years from 1999, but were increased to five years following the Wales Act 2014 for the 2016 election.

The 2021 Senedd election on 6 May 2021, was the first election to the devolved parliament since its name change. The election took place akin to previous elections when it was known as the National Assembly for Wales.

Election reform

The Richard Commission report of 2004 suggested an increase of the number of Members to 80. That number was also suggested, as a minimum, by the 2014 report of the Silk Commission. [2] Similarly, in 2013 and 2016, the Electoral Reform Society published reports making the case for an upsize of the Assembly. [3] [4] A 2017 report of an expert commission suggested an increase to between 80 and 90 Members, switching to single transferable vote (STV) and enforcing gender quotas. [2]

A reduction in the number of Welsh MPs has been proposed for the next UK general alection. Under the proposals, the number of MPs would be reduced from 40 to 32 and new constituency boundaries have also been proposed. [5] The boundary plans were published on 19 October 2022 and voters have four weeks to comment. The map of the new constituency boundaries would also be used as Senedd regions for the next Senedd election. [6]

The Special Committee was set up on 6 October 2021. [7] In May 2022, a joint position statement was published by First Minister Mark Drakeford and Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price, [8] calling for a 96-Member Senedd, all elected through closed party list proportional representation (using the D'Hondt method) with mandatory "zipping" of male and female candidates in the list to ensure that for every party, half of the Members will be women. [9]

The final report of the Special Committee was published on 30 May 2022 and recommended the system agreed to by the Labour and Plaid Cymru leaders. [10]

Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill

In September 2023, the Welsh Government published its plans for electoral reform as part of the proposed Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill. The number of Senedd constituencies is set to fall to 16, with each constituency electing six MSs from a closed list under the D'Hondt method. Under the proposals, all candidates must live in Wales, and elections would take place every four years, rather than five. [11]

as the Senedd

Elections to the institution prior to 2020, with the last being in 2016, were done under the previous name the 'National Assembly for Wales' (see below). Following legislation in 2020, any subsequent elections, from the 2021 Senedd election will be under its new name.

2026

The next Senedd election is expected to be held on Thursday 7 May 2026, under the provisions of the Wales Act 2014 where Senedd terms are five-year terms. This date can be postponed under circumstances including public health or safety emergencies, or an early UK parliamentary election (itself expected in 2024, but can be held prior).

2021

It was the sixth general election since the establishment of the institution in 1999. It was held along with the other 2021 United Kingdom local elections and was the first election where 16 and 17-year-olds were allowed to vote in Wales, which is the largest extension of the franchise in Wales since 1969. Both changes were a result of the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill 2019. [12]

Senedd election map 2021.svg
Overall turnout: 46.5%

as the National Assembly for Wales (1999–2020)

Elections to the then 'National Assembly for Wales' (or Welsh Assembly') occurred from its first election in 1999 up until the 2016 election (with any subsequent elections being as the 'Senedd'). This follows the 1997 devolution referendum where Welsh voters narrowly approved the formation of the devolved institution. The institution is now known as the Senedd (Welsh Parliament; Welsh : Senedd Cymru) (see above).

2016

Welsh Assembly election map 2016.svg
Overall turnout: 45.3%

2011

Welsh Election Map 2011.svg
Overall turnout: 42.2%

2007

Welsh Assembly election map 2007.svg
Overall turnout: 43.7%

2003

Welsh Election Map 2003.svg
Overall turnout: 38.2%

1999

WelshElection1999.png
Welsh Assembly election 1999 regional lists results.svg
A map showing the constituency winners (left) and additional members by electoral region (right) of the election by their party colours.

Overall turnout: 46%

Past elections and referendums

UK parliament elections

Map of the 2019 election results. Dec2019WalesConstituencies.png
Map of the 2019 election results.
Map of the 2017 election results. Wales Parliamentary Constituency 2017 Results.svg
Map of the 2017 election results.

Wales has been eligible to send MPs to Westminster since the Laws in Wales Act 1535. Between then and 1885, most constituencies were categorised as county or borough constituencies; each sent one MP to Westminster. As the Industrial Revolution took hold there were many calls for reform (particularly in towns such as Merthyr Tydfil). Parliament eventually[ when? ] allowed the new towns to vote, and this introduced the first Labour MPs. The first leader of the Labour Party in Parliament, Keir Hardie, was one of the two MPs for Merthyr Tydfil. The following table shows the composition of Wales' Westminster MPs since 1885.

Year Labour Liberal Democrat/
Liberal
Conservative Plaid Cymru Independent Liberal Unionist Independent Labour Others
1885-294----1
1886-266--1-1
1892-303----1
1895-248--1-1
19001266--1-1
1906128----1-
1910 (Jan)5272-----
1910 (Dec)6263---1-
1918934----19
19221826---19
192319114----2
192416119-----
192925101-----
19311556---19
19351886----4
19452573----1
19502753----1
19512735----1
19552735----1
19592726----1
19642826-----
19663213-----
19702717---1-
1974 (Feb)24282----
1974 (Oct)23283----
1979221112----
1983202142----
198724383----
199227164----
1997342-4----
2001342-4----
2005294331---
201026383----
2015251113----
201728-84----
201922-144----

Detailed breakdowns

2019

Party [13] SeatsVotes
TotalGainsLossesNet +/- % seatsTotal %Change
Labour 2206Decrease2.svg 655632,03540.9Decrease2.svg 8.0
Conservative 146 [lower-alpha 1] 0Increase2.svg 635557,23436.1Increase2.svg 2.5
Plaid Cymru 400Steady2.svg10153,2659.9Decrease2.svg 0.5
Liberal Democrats 000 [lower-alpha 2] Steady2.svg092,1716.0Increase2.svg 1.5
Brexit Party 000Steady2.svg083,9085.4new
Green 000Steady2.svg015,8281.0Increase2.svg 0.7
 Independents000 [lower-alpha 3] Steady2.svg06,2200.4N/A
Gwlad 000Steady2.svg01,5150.1new
Cynon Valley 000Steady2.svg01,3220.1new
Monster Raving Loony 000Steady2.svg03450.0Steady2.svg
Christian 000Steady2.svg02450.0new [lower-alpha 4]
SDP 000Steady2.svg01810.0new [lower-alpha 4]
Socialist Alternative 000Steady2.svg0880.0new [lower-alpha 5]
Total401,544,357Turnout66.6
  1. Not including Brecon and Radnorshire and Aberconwy, which the Conservative Party won in 2017 but did not control when parliament was dissolved.
  2. Not including Brecon and Radnorshire, which the Liberal Democrats won in a 2019 by-election.
  3. Not including Aberconwy, previously controlled by the independent Guto Bebb who lost the Conservative Party whip in 2019.
  4. 1 2 Party entered candidates in the 2017 general election but not in any Welsh seats.
  5. Party has entered candidates in past general elections but not the 2017 general election.
Popular vote
Labour
40.9%
Conservative
36.1%
Plaid Cymru
9.9%
Liberal Democrats
6.0%
Brexit Party
5.0%
Greens
1.0%
Parliament seats
Labour
55%
Conservative
35%
Plaid Cymru
10%

2017

PartySeatsVotes
TotalGainsLossesNet +/-% seatsTotal%Change
Labour 2830Increase2.svg370.0771,35448.9Increase2.svg12.1
Conservative 803Decrease2.svg320.0528,83933.6Increase2.svg6.3
Plaid Cymru 410Increase2.svg110.0164,46610.4Decrease2.svg1.7
Liberal Democrats 001Decrease2.svg171,0394.5Decrease2.svg2.0
UKIP 000031,3762.0Decrease2.svg11.6
Green 00005,1280.3Decrease2.svg2.2
 Others00003,6120.2Decrease2.svg0.1
Total401,575,814Turnout68.6
Popular vote
Labour
48.9%
Conservative
33.6%
Plaid Cymru
10.4%
Liberal Democrats
4.5%
UKIP
2.0%
Greens
0.3%
Other
0.2%
Parliament seats
Labour
70%
Conservative
20%
Plaid Cymru
10%

2015

PartySeatsVotes
TotalGainsLossesNet +/-% seatsTotal%Change
Labour 2512Decrease2.svg162.5552,47336.9Increase2.svg0.6
Conservative 1130Increase2.svg327.5407,81327.2Increase2.svg1.1
UKIP 000Steady2.svg204,33013.6Increase2.svg11.2
Plaid Cymru 300Steady2.svg7.5181,70412.1Increase2.svg0.8
Liberal Democrats 102Decrease2.svg22.597,7836.5Decrease2.svg13.6
Green 000Steady2.svg38,3442.6Increase2.svg2.1
Socialist Labour 000Steady2.svg3,4810.2Increase2.svg0.2
TUSC 000Steady2.svg1,7800.1Increase2.svg0.1
 Others000Steady2.svg10,3550.7Decrease2.svg0.5
Total401,498,063
Popular vote
Labour
36.87%
Conservative
27.22%
UKIP
13.64%
Plaid Cymru
12.13%
Liberal Democrats
6.53%
Greens
2.56%
Other
1.05%
Parliament seats
Labour
62.50%
Conservative
27.50%
Plaid Cymru
7.50%
Liberal Democrats
2.50%

2010

PartySeatsVotes
TotalGainsLossesNet +/-% seatsTotal%Change
Labour 2615Decrease2.svg465.0531,60136.2Decrease2.svg6.5
Conservative 850Increase2.svg520.0382,73026.1Increase2.svg4.7
Liberal Democrats 301Decrease2.svg17.5295,16420.1Increase2.svg1.7
Plaid Cymru 310Increase2.svg17.5165,39411.3Decrease2.svg1.3
UKIP 000035,6902.4Increase2.svg1.0
BNP 000023,0881.6Increase2.svg1.5
Green 00006,2930.4Decrease2.svg0.1
Christian 00001,9470.1N/A
TUSC 00003410.0N/A
 Others001Decrease2.svg124,4421.7Decrease2.svg1.1
Total401,466,69064.9
Popular vote
Labour
36.2%
Conservative
26.1%
Liberal Democrats
20.1%
Plaid Cymru
11.3%
UKIP
2.4%
BNP
1.6%
Greens
0.4%
Other
1.8%
Parliament seats
Labour
65.0%
Conservative
20.0%
Liberal Democrats
7.50%
Plaid Cymru
7.50%

2005

PartyCandidatesSeatsSeats
change
Votes % %
change
Labour 29Decrease2.svg5594,82142.7Decrease2.svg5.9
Conservative 3Increase2.svg3297,83021.4Increase2.svg0.4
Liberal Democrats 4Increase2.svg2256,24918.4Increase2.svg4.6
Plaid Cymru 3Decrease2.svg1174,83812.6Decrease2.svg1.7
UKIP 0Steady2.svg20,2971.5
Green 0Steady2.svg7,1440.5
Forward Wales 0Steady2.svg3,4610.2
Legalise Cannabis 0Steady2.svg1,7720.1
BNP 0Steady2.svg1,6890.1
Socialist Labour 0Steady2.svg1,6050.1
Veritas 0Steady2.svg1,4370.1
Respect 0Steady2.svg6430.0
Liberal 0Steady2.svg6050.0
Socialist Alliance 0Steady2.svg5570.0
Communist 0Steady2.svg4400.0
Yourself0Steady2.svg2840.0
Bean Party0Steady2.svg1590.0
Independent 1Increase2.svg128,8882.3
Turnout:1,392,71962.4

2001

PartyCandidatesSeatsSeats
change
Votes % %
change
Labour 4034Steady2.svg666,95648.6Decrease2.svg6.1
Conservative 400Steady2.svg288,62321.0Increase2.svg1.4
Plaid Cymru 404Steady2.svg195,89314.3Increase2.svg4.4
Liberal Democrats 2Steady2.svg189,25413.8Increase2.svg1.5
UKIP 0Steady2.svg12,5520.9
Green 0Steady2.svg3,7530.3
Socialist Labour 0Steady2.svg2,8050.2
Socialist Alliance 0Steady2.svg2,2580.2
ProLife Alliance 0Steady2.svg1,6090.1
Communist 0Steady2.svg3840.0
BNP 0Steady2.svg2780.0
OthersSteady2.svg7,9590.6
Turnout:1,372,32461.6

1997

Party [14] SeatsVotes
TotalGainsLossesNet +/-% seatsTotal votes% votesChange
Labour 3470Increase2.svg785.0885,93554.7Increase2.svg5.2
Conservative 008Decrease2.svg8317,12719.6Decrease2.svg9.0
Liberal Democrats 210Increase2.svg15.0200,02012.4Decrease2.svg0.1
Plaid Cymru 400Steady2.svg10.0161,03010.0Increase2.svg1.1
Referendum 000Steady2.svg38,2452.4New
Socialist Labour 000Steady2.svg6,2030.4New
Independent Labour 000Steady2.svg4,6330.3New
Independent 000Steady2.svg2,2580.2N/A
Green 000Steady2.svg1,7180.1Decrease2.svg0.3
Other parties000Steady2.svg3,0870.2N/A

1992

Party [15] SeatsVotes
TotalGainsLossesNet +/-% seatsTotal votes% votesChange
Labour 2730Increase2.svg371.1865,66349.5Increase2.svg4.4
Conservative 613Decrease2.svg215.8499,67728.6Decrease2.svg0.9
Liberal Democrats 102Decrease2.svg22.6217,45712.4Decrease2.svg5.5
Plaid Cymru 410Increase2.svg110.5156,7479.0Increase2.svg1.7
Others000Steady2.svg9,2330.5Increase2.svg0.3

1987

PartySeatsVotes
TotalGainsLossesNet +/-% seatsTotal votes% votesChange
Labour 2440Increase2.svg463.2765,20945.1Increase2.svg7.6
Conservative 806Decrease2.svg621.1501,31629.5Decrease2.svg1.5
Alliance 310Increase2.svg17.9304,23017.9Decrease2.svg5.3
Plaid Cymru 310Increase2.svg17.9123,5997.3Decrease2.svg0.5
Others000Steady2.svg3,7420.2Decrease2.svg0.2

1983

PartySeatsVotes
TotalGainsLossesNet +/-% seatsTotal votes% votesChange
Labour 2003Decrease2.svg352.6603,85837.5Decrease2.svg9.4
Conservative 1431Increase2.svg236.8499,31031.0Decrease2.svg1.2
Alliance 210Increase2.svg15.3373,35823.2Increase2.svg12.6
Plaid Cymru 200Steady2.svg5.3125,3097.8Decrease2.svg0.2
Other parties000Steady2.svg7,1510.4Decrease2.svg1.9

European Parliament

Wales was a constituency in European Parliament elections. Following the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union on 31 January 2020, Wales no longer elects representatives to the European Parliament.

2019

[16]

European Election 2019: Wales [17] [18]
ListCandidatesVotes%±
Brexit Party Nathan Gill (1)
James Wells (3)
Gethin James, Julie Price
271,404
(135,702)
32.46Increase2.svg32.46
Plaid Cymru Jill Evans (2)
Carmen Smith, Patrick McGuinness, Ioan Bellin
163,92819.60Increase2.svg4.34
Labour Jacqueline Jones (4)
Matthew Dorrance, Mary Wimbury, Mark Whitcott
127,83315.29Decrease2.svg12.86
Liberal Democrats Sam Bennett, Donna Lalek, Alistair Cameron, Andrew Parkhurst113,88513.62Increase2.svg9.67
Conservative Daniel Boucher, Craig Lawton, Fay Jones, Tomos Davies54,5876.53Decrease2.svg10.90
Green Anthony Slaughter, Ian Chandler, Ceri Davies, Duncan Rees52,6606.30Increase2.svg1.76
UKIP Kristian Hicks, Keith Edwards, Thomas Harrison, Robert McNeil-Wilson27,5663.30Decrease2.svg24.26
Change UK Jon Owen Jones, June Davies, Matthew Paul, Sally Anne Stephenson24,3322.91Increase2.svg2.91
Turnout 836,19537.1Increase2.svg5.6

2019 opinion polls

Date(s)Polling organisation/clientSample Lab UKIP Con Plaid Green Lib Dems Brexit Change UK OthersLead
16–20 May 2019 YouGov/ITV 1,00915%2%7%19%8%10%36%2%0%17%
10–15 May 2019 YouGov/Plaid Cymru 1,13318%3%7%16%8%10%33%4%0%15%
2–5 April 2019 YouGov/ITV 1,02530%11%16%15%5%6%10%8%1%14%
22 May 20142014 EU election results733,06028.2%27.6%17.4%15.3%4.5%4.0%N/AN/A3.2%0.6%

2014

European Election 2014: Wales
ListCandidatesVotes%±
Labour Derek Vaughan
Jayne Bryant, Alex Thomas, Christina Rees [19] [20]
206,33228.15+7.9
UKIP Nathan Gill
James Cole, Caroline Jones, David Rowlands [20] [21]
201,98327.55+14.8
Conservative Kay Swinburne
Aled Davies, Dan Boucher, Richard Hopkin [20] [22]
127,74217.433.8
Plaid Cymru Jill Evans
Marc Jones, Stephen Cornelius, Ioan Bellin [20] [23] [24]
111,86415.263.3
Green Pippa Bartolotti, John Matthews, Chris Were, Rosemary Cutler [20] [25] [26] 33,2754.541.0
Liberal Democrats Alec Dauncey, Robert Speht, Jackie Radford, Bruce Roberts [20] 28,9303.956.7
BNP Mike Whitby, Laurence Reid, Jean Griffin, Gary Tumulty [20] 7,6551.044.4
Britain First Paul Golding, Anthony Golding, Christine Smith, Anne Elstone [20] 6,6330.90.00
Socialist Labour Andrew Jordan, Katherine Jones, David Lloyd Jones, Liz Screen [20] 4,4590.611.2
NO2EU Robert Griffiths, Claire Job, Steve Skelly, Laura Picand [20] 2,8030.380.9
Socialist (GB) Brian Johnson, Richard Cheney, Ed Blewitt, Howard Moss [20] [27] 1,3840.190.00
Turnout 733,06031.5+1.1

2009

European Election 2009: Wales [28] [29]
ListCandidatesVotes%±
Conservative Kay Swinburne
Evan Price, Emma Greenow, David Chipp
145,19321.2+1.8
Labour Derek Vaughan
Lisa Stevens, Rachel Maycock, Leighton Veale
138,85220.312.2
Plaid Cymru Jill Evans
Eurig Wyn, Ioan Bellin, Natasha Asghar
126,70218.5+1.1
UKIP John Bufton
David Bevan, Kevin Mahoney, David Rowlands
87,58512.8+2.3
Liberal Democrats Alan Butt Phillip, Kevin O'Connor, Nick Tregoning, Jackie Radford73,08210.7+0.2
Green Jake Griffiths, Kay Roney, Ann Were, John Matthews38,1605.6+2.0
BNP Ennys Hughes, Laurence Read, Clive Bennett, Kevin Edwards37,1145.4+2.5
Christian Jeffrey Green, David Griffiths, Alun Owen, John Harrold13,0371.9N/A
Socialist Labour Robert English, Richard Booth, Liz Screen, Judith Sambrook12,4021.8N/A
NO2EU Robert Griffiths, Rob Williams, Laura Picand, Trevor Jones8,6001.3N/A
Jury Team (UK) Paul Sabanskis, James Eustace, Neil Morgan, Steven Partridge3,7930.6N/A
Turnout 684,52030.411.0

2004

European Election 2004: Wales [30]
ListCandidatesVotes%±
Labour Glenys Kinnock , Eluned Morgan
Gareth Williams, Gwennan Jeremiah
297,810
(148,905)
32.5+0.6
Conservative Jonathan Evans
Owen Williams, Felicity Elphick, Albert Fox
177,77119.43.3
Plaid Cymru Jill Evans
Jon Blackwood, Eilian Williams, Gwenllian Lansdown
159,88817.412.2
UKIP David Rowlands, Clive Easton, Elizabeth Phillips, Timothy Jenkins96,67710.5+7.4
Liberal Democrats David John Williams, Alison Goldsworthy, Nicholas Tregoning, Nilmini Priyanga de Silva96,11610.5+2.3
Green Martyn Shrewsbury, Molly Scott Cato, David Bradney, Dorienne Robinson32,7613.6+1.0
BNP John Walker, Pauline Gregory, James Roberts, Mark Stringfellow [31] 27,1353.0N/A
Forward Wales Ron Davies, Wendy Paintsil, Janet Williams, Graham Jones17,2801.9N/A
Christian Democratic PartyCatherine Smith, Christine West, Joseph Biddulph, Robert Evans6,8210.7N/A
Respect Helen Griffin, Huw Williams, Raja Gul Raiz, Taran O'Sullivan5,4270.6N/A
Turnout 917,68641.4+12.4

1999

European Election 1999: Wales [32]
ListCandidatesVotes%±
Labour Glenys Kinnock , Eluned Morgan
Joe Wilson, Gareth Williams, Jane Hutt
199,690
(99,845)
31.9N/A
Plaid Cymru Jill Evans , Eurig Wyn
Marc Phillips, Susanna Perkins, Owain Llywelyn
185,235
(92,617.5)
29.6N/A
Conservative Jonathan Evans
Chris Butler, Owen John Williams, Robert Buckland, Edmund Hayward
142,63122.8N/A
Liberal Democrats Roger Roberts, Peter Price, Alistair Cameron, Juliana Hughes, John Dixon51,2838.2N/A
UKIP Dai Rees, Niall Warry, Idris Richard Francis, Alan Barham, David Lloyd19,7023.1N/A
Green Molly Scott Cato, Klaus Armstrong-Braun, Sue Walker, Rachel Kalela, John Matthews16,1462.6N/A
Pro-Euro Conservative William Powell, Jennifer Harris, Antonio Fernandes-Vidal, Alan Morris, Christopher Hodgkinson5,8340.9N/A
Socialist Labour Elizabeth Screen, Darren Hickery, Stephen Bell, Miriam Bowen, George Tafarides4,2830.7N/A
Natural Law David Hughes, Brian Francis, Helen Evans, Andrea Jarman, John Ashforth1,6210.3N/A
Turnout 626,42529.0N/A

1994

PartySeatsSeats
change
Votes % %
change
Labour 5Increase2.svg1530,74955.86Increase2.svg6.93
Plaid Cymru 0Steady2.svg162,47817.10Increase2.svg4.21
Conservative 0Steady2.svg138,34914.56Decrease2.svg8.89
Liberal Democrats 0Steady2.svg82,4808.68Increase2.svg5.46
Green 0Steady2.svg19,4132.04Decrease2.svg9.11
Natural Law 06,0810.64
UKIP 05,5360.58
Independent 02,7290.29
Socialist Alliance 01,2701.33
Communist 01,0730.11
Turnout:950,158

1989

PartySeatsSeats
change
Votes % %
change
Labour 4Increase2.svg1436,73048.93Increase2.svg4.40
Conservative 0Decrease2.svg1209,31323.45Decrease2.svg1.91
Plaid Cymru 0Steady2.svg115,06212.89Increase2.svg0.69
Green 0Steady2.svg99,54611.15Increase2.svg10.64
SLD 0Steady2.svg28,7853.22Decrease2.svg14.18
SDP 03,1530.35
Turnout:892,589

1984

PartySeatsSeats
change
Votes % %
change
Labour 3Steady2.svg375,98244.53Increase2.svg2.83
Conservative 1Steady2.svg214,08625.36Decrease2.svg10.98
Alliance 0Steady2.svg146,94717.40Increase2.svg7.79
Plaid Cymru 0Steady2.svg103,03112.20Increase2.svg0.41
Ecology 04,2660.51
Turnout:844,312

1979

PartySeatsSeats
change
Votes % %
change
Labour 3294,97841.70
Conservative 1257,02936.34
Plaid Cymru 083,39911.79
Liberal 067,9629.61
Independent 04,0080.57
Turnout: 707,376

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 National Assembly for Wales election</span>

The 2016 National Assembly for Wales election was held on Thursday 5 May 2016, to elect members (AMs) of the National Assembly for Wales, now known as the Senedd. It was the fifth election for the National Assembly, the third election taken under the rules of the Government of Wales Act 2006 and the first since the Wales Act 2014.

The Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party, or in Wales, simply Abolish, is a registered single issue political party in Wales. It campaigns for the abolition of the Senedd, formerly known as the "National Assembly for Wales", the devolved legislature of Wales. Abolish advocates that devolved powers be returned to the Secretary of State for Wales within the UK Central Government and the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster.

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The next Senedd election is due to be held on or before 7 May 2026 to elect 96 members to the Senedd. It will be the seventh devolved general election since the Senedd was established in 1999. It will also be the second election since the Senedd changed its name in May 2020, and the first following reforms to the voting system which increased the size of the Senedd from 60 members to 96 and shortened its term from five years to four.

The Senedd Cymru Bill was introduced on 18 September 2023 to take forward proposals to expand and reform the Senedd in Wales. Proposals included created sixteen larger constituencies, each electing six members of the Senedd (MSs) by proportional representation. It was hoped to approve the bill in time to take effect from the 2026 Senedd election.

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