Senedd poll votes will be counted on the next day

VOTES at the next Senedd election on May 7 will be counted during the daytime on the day after the poll.

- Owen Hughes

The Electoral Management Board has instructed Wales’ Returning Officers, the people in charge of running elections in Wales, to begin counting the votes after 9am (and before 11am) on Friday, 8 May 2026.

Daytime counts have become common practice in Wales, with votes for the 2021 Senedd election being counted during the daytime on the day following the election.

‘They were also used for the 2024 Police and Crime Commissioner elections and 2022 Local Government elections.

The Electoral Management Board has decided to continue with these following consultation with Returning Officers and the Electoral Commission.

It is hoped that counting votes on the following day will give more people the opportunity to keep up to date with developments as results are declared.