Welsh Government launches consultation on updates to local election rules

The Welsh Government has launched a consultation on proposals to overhaul local election rules ahead of the 2027 polls.

The administration will seek views on the draft Local Elections (Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026 and the draft Representation of the People Act 1983 (Security Expenses Exclusion) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2026.

The proposed changes focus on ensuring that local government elections in Wales “remain current and consistent” with recent updates to Senedd election procedures.

The consultation will run for 12 weeks, with the Welsh Government encouraging all interested parties to provide feedback on the proposals.

Bilingual

Key proposals include updating the rules to ensure they are fully bilingual and align with changes made to the Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) Order 2025.

The proposed amendments also address candidate security arrangements and recognise the importance of ensuring candidates can take appropriate security measures whilst maintaining fair and transparent campaign spending rules.

This means that candidates in local government elections would be able to incur reasonable expenses for personal security and property protection without these costs counting towards their campaign expenditure limits.

This rule change would bring local elections in line with recent amendments made for Senedd elections.

Changes

The Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant, said: “These proposed changes will modernise our local election rules and ensure consistency across all Welsh elections.

“Crucially, they recognise that no candidate should have to choose between their safety and their ability to campaign.

“Protecting themselves and their property should never come at the cost of reaching voters.

“This meets a key recommendation from the Jo Cox Foundation’s excellent report on tackling abuse and intimidation – something I’ve been working closely with them to address.

“I encourage everyone with an interest in our democratic processes to respond to this consultationand help shape these vital updates.”

Councillor Lis Burnett, WLGA Llywydd said: “Standing for election takes courage, commitment and a genuine desire to make a difference. Nobody should feel at risk by deciding to serve their community.

“These proposed changes recognise that reality and will help make local democracy safer and more accessible for everyone.

“They also modernise our election rules to reflect the values of fairness and bilingualism that are at the heart of democracy in Wales.”

The consultation is open until 12 January 2026.