Post count statement – 2026 Senedd election

Following the conclusion of the Senedd election count, Rhydian Thomas, Head of the Electoral Commission, Wales, said:

“The verification and counting of votes for the Senedd election has now concluded and all 16 constituencies have declared their results. Turnout was 51.6% - higher than at all previous Senedd and Welsh Assembly elections. Our initial assessment is that the count ran smoothly and took place transparently in the presence of candidates and their agents and the media.

“Delivering the Senedd elections is a considerable task. New constituency boundaries and a new voting system were in place at this election, which required significant planning and coordination, led by the Electoral Management Board (EMB) for Wales. Many 16-17 year olds also took part for the first time. We want to thank electoral administrators and Returning Officers across Wales for their dedication and professionalism in delivering these well-run polls. We also pay tribute to the candidates who put themselves forward for election.  

“We have worked closely with the EMB and police forces during the election campaign to support investigations into allegations of abuse and intimidation. The abuse and intimidation of candidates, elected officials and electoral workers comes at a great personal cost and it is damaging our democracy. The Commission called for a campaign free from abuse and intimidation, and published a new set of principles to guide campaigning at these elections. 

“We have been alert to the spread of false information, including AI-generated content. Where false or misleading information emerged, we worked quickly with partners to address and remove it. We have not seen significant deepfakes affecting the Senedd election.

“We are aware of issues with the delivery of some postal votes in Cardiff. We liaised with Returning Officers and the Electoral Management Board who confirmed there were no widespread postal voting issues in Wales at this election. We will consider the administration of postal voting as part of our post-poll reporting process.

“We will now gather evidence from voters, candidates, administrators and campaigners to inform our assessment of these elections. We will look at voter satisfaction, the integrity of the polls, the safety of those who stood for and ran these elections, and the prevalence and impact of mis and disinformation. We will publish our statutory report on the Senedd election in the autumn, recommending improvements to the system where necessary.”

Ends

For more information contact the Electoral Commission press office on 020 7271 0704, out of office hours 07789 920 414 or [email protected].