The people of Wales will have the chance to vote in the next Senedd election on Thursday 7 May 2026. As part of our Ready to Vote project, we want to make sure people with a learning disability understand their right to vote and why it’s important.
Ready to Vote
Ready to Vote is a 3-year project funded by the Welsh Government’s Democratic Engagement Grant that aims to make politics and voting more accessible for people with a learning disability in Wales.
In the run-up to the Senedd election, the project will:
- Run workshops and training sessions across Wales.
- Work with partners to share accessible, bilingual voting information.
- Host accessible hustings events so people with a learning disability can meet local candidates and discuss the issues that matter to them.
You can find out more about the Ready to Vote project here.
New Easy Read guides
Our Easy Read Wales team has published 2 new Easy Read resources as part of the project:
- Your guide to voting in the 2026 Senedd election – This explains what the Senedd does and how people can take part in the election.
- Senedd election 2026 guide for candidates – This helps political parties and candidates make their campaigns more accessible and inclusive.
These guides are designed to help more people understand the election and feel confident taking part.
Who can vote in the Senedd election?
To vote in the Senedd election on 7 May you must:
- be registered to vote
- be 16 years old or over
- live in Wales
- not be banned from voting by law, for example, because you are in prison.
How can I vote in the Senedd election?
You must register to vote by 20 April 2026. You can register online or by post. You only need to register once, not every time there is an election. However, if you change your name or address then you will need to register again. You can register to vote here: gov.uk/register-to-vote.
You do not need ID to vote in the Senedd election. You can vote in 3 ways:
- in person at your local polling station
- by post
- by proxy – this means that someone you trust votes for you if you cannot vote yourself for some reason.
You can find more information about how to vote in our Easy Read guide here.
Key Senedd election dates
If you’re voting or supporting people to vote in the Senedd election, these dates are important to know:
- 10 April 2026 – Candidates confirmed.
- 20 April 2026 – Deadline to register to vote.
- 21 April 2026 – Deadline to apply for a postal vote.
- 28 April 2026 – Deadline to apply for a proxy vote.
- 7 May 2026 – Election day.
How do I decide who to vote for?
Only you can decide who you want to vote for. It’s a very personal and private choice. While it might be useful to talk to friends and family about what matters to you, nobody should tell you who to vote for.
Reading political party manifestos can be a helpful way to find out what they plan to do if they win the election. You can also watch or listen to debates on the TV, internet or radio.
The ‘Who can I vote for?’ website has information about all the candidates in your local area. You can contact candidates to ask them questions about things that matter to you and find out what they think. Whoever you decide to vote for on 7 May, your vote matters so make sure your voice is heard.
Easy Read Wales blog
Easy Read Wales has written a blog post about the Senedd election, including some of the barriers disabled people face when voting and where to find more accessible information. You can read the blog on the Easy Read Wales website here.
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