Nominations close Thursday for Senedd elections

07/04/2026 @ 09:49

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

Senedd election hopefuls for the massive Gwynedd Maldwyn constituency will need to send their nominations off to Cyngor Gwynedd by this Thursday (April 9).

Voters go to the polls on Thursday, May 7 in a vastly different Senedd elections this time around, and MyWelshpool will keep you updated with our campaign called ‘MyVote Matters’.

The Senedd will go up from 60 members to 96 with fewer and larger constituencies created by pairing up Wales’ 32 Westminster seats into 16 super constituencies.

Each seat will have six Senedd Members that will be chosen using a form of proportional representation using a formula called the D’Hondt method.

This is supposed to make sure seats are allocated to closely reflect their share of the vote.

The Gwynedd Maldwyn seat – Wales’ largest constituency encompasses parts of both North and Mid Wales and is made up by pairing the UK Parliamentary constituencies of Dwyfor Meirionnydd with Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr.

It goes from the Caernarfon on the Menai Strait, down the Llyn peninsula, past Porthmadog and down the cost towards Aberdyfi and Machynlleth.

It then stretches east to the border with England and includes, Bala, Corwen and Chirk as well as Welshpool, Newtown and then carries on south to Llanidloes and beyond.

Cyngor Gwynedd is managing the election for Gwynedd Maldwyn and counting of the ballots will take place in Caernarfon.

The returning officer for the constituency is Dafydd Gibbard the chief executive of Cyngor Gwynedd.

Nominations will be accepted up to 4pm on Thursday April 9, excluding weekends and bank holidays.

Forms and information relating to the nomination process are available on the Electoral Commission website.

The council says that candidates can submit their nomination forms in-person or electronically:

In person appointments can be made between 9am and 5pm to submit the nomination papers and these can be made by phoning (01766) 771000 or by e-mailing etholiad@gwynedd.llyw.cyrmu

Electronically nomination papers can be are submitted electronically by e-mail to enwebiadau@gwynedd.llyw.cymru

To stand in the election costs £500 for an individual candidate or £500 for the top party list candidate and £200 for each of the next five candidates.

This is fee is known as a “deposit” and they can be lost if an individual or political party has received less than 5% of the total votes cast in the constituency.

Already a list of 41 potential candidates have thrown their hats into the ring ready to contest the election.

The current list of candidates are:

Conservative