National Records of Scotland
Making sense of the census.
Welsh Elections Information Platform
Helping voters across Wales find what they need in one place
The ask
Wales was preparing for its most significant electoral reform in decades. The Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 changed how people would elect their parliament, expanding from 60 to 96 members, reducing to 16 new constituencies, and introducing a closed-list proportional representation system. For voters, it was a lot to take in.
The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (DBCC), through the Electoral Management Board for Wales, needed a single, trusted digital service that would give voters across Wales the information they needed. And it had to do all of this in Welsh and English, not as a translation exercise, but with both languages designed in from the very beginning.
We were commissioned to design, develop and deliver the Welsh Elections Information Platform. The brief was clear: have a minimum viable version live in time for the Senedd election on 7 May 2026, and continue developing it ahead of the 2027 Principal Council elections.
What we did
We spent the first part of the project getting close to the problem. Working with the Commission, councils, candidates and members of the public across Wales, we learned what voters really needed and what was getting in the way.
From that, we designed clear, simple journeys that answered the questions people were actually asking:
- Where do I vote?
- How do I register?
- How does the new voting system work?
Language
Language was central to the whole project. We partnered with Ateb, specialists in Welsh language services, to make sure the platform reflected the linguistic and cultural identity of Wales. Both the Welsh and English versions were created together from the outset, so neither felt like it had been added as an afterthought.
The result is a fully bilingual platform, at vote.wales in English and bwrwpleidlais.cymru in Cymraeg. It brings everything voters need into one place:
- A postcode search lets voters find their constituency and polling station and a list of parties and candidates standing quickly
- Accessibility information for each polling station helps people plan their visit
- Clear guidance covers how to vote, whether at a polling station, by post or by proxy
- Dedicated content explains what the Senedd is, what it does and which policy areas it covers
- Parties and candidates can publish their leaflets directly on the platform
- Voters can browse current and historic election results in one place
Councils and electoral administrators can manage and submit election information through the platform too, making it a practical tool for the people running elections as well as the people taking part in them. There is also a secure section for parties and candidates to submit their leaflets for approval and publication.
Storm ID's collaborative approach, responsiveness and willingness to immerse themselves in the complexities of electoral reform in Wales helped build strong trust across the project team and wider stakeholders. Delivering ahead of a major national election brought pressure and fixed deadlines, but Storm ID consistently demonstrated professionalism, adaptability and focus throughout.
Working with the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru on the Welsh Elections Information Platform has been a fantastic experience. Delivering a bilingual digital service of this scale and importance, within a fixed electoral timetable, required close collaboration with all involved and we’re incredibly proud of what’s been achieved together.
Results
The platform launched on 2 March 2026, giving voters in Wales almost two months to find information and prepare ahead of the Senedd elections on 7 May. It was the first Senedd election held under the new electoral system, and vote.wales and bwrwpleidlais.cymru gave people a clear, accessible way to understand what had changed and what it meant for them.
The platform is built to outlast a single election. It will continue to support democratic participation across Wales for the 2027 Principal Council elections and beyond, giving the Electoral Management Board a lasting digital foundation for connecting voters with the information they need, in both of Wales’ official languages.
Related work
Scottish Government - Open Data Team
Simplifying access to Scotland's official statistics
