New website launched as 675 candidates confirmed for Senedd election

A new online platform has been launched to help voters navigate the upcoming Senedd election, as the full list of candidates is confirmed.

The vote.wales website now provides details of all 675 candidates standing in the election on 7 May, following the close of nominations on 9 April.

Voters can use the site to search by postcode to find out who is standing in their constituency, where their polling station is located, and what accessibility features are available.

Wales has been divided into 16 constituencies for the election, with each returning six Members of the Senedd under a closed-list proportional representation system.

Voters will receive a single ballot paper and can choose either a political party or an independent candidate, with seats allocated broadly in line with each party’s share of the vote.

In total, the 675 candidates are competing for 96 seats, representing 16 political parties alongside 30 independents. Parties were permitted to nominate up to eight candidates in each constituency.

The website has been developed by the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru to provide a single authoritative source of election information.

Chief executive Shereen Williams said: “We created vote.wales to give people all the info they need before the Senedd election on 7 May.

“Now that candidates have been confirmed across Wales, people can find out exactly who they can vote for with a simple postcode search.”

From 16 April, candidate leaflets will also be published on the site, allowing voters to compare policies and priorities.

Voters must be registered by 20 April to take part. No photo ID is required to vote in Senedd elections.