Two-thirds of people in Wales are unclear about major changes to the Senedd voting system ahead of the upcoming election, according to new public polling.

Led by researchers from Aberystwyth University and Swansea University, the initial findings of the Welsh Election Study 2026 are part of the first wave of data exploring political knowledge, trust in government, political interest and engagement in Wales ahead of the Senedd election on May 7.

Based on survey responses from 10,000 people in Wales, two-thirds were unable to correctly answer questions about the expansion of the Senedd, the creation of new constituencies and how the electoral system will work.

88 per cent of respondents were either incorrect or did not know about the new closed list electoral system, with just under 12 per cent understanding it.

Despite most people reporting being fairly or very interested in politics across different political arenas – including 59 per cent interested in the forthcoming Senedd election – the research revealed inconsistent levels of understanding of Welsh and UK Government responsibilities.

Around half of respondents were either incorrect or unaware that the Senedd controls the NHS, agriculture and economic development, and only 40 per cent of people knew that the UK Government retains powers over policing.

The polling reveals a generational knowledge gap, with younger respondents less well-informed about which level of government is responsible for each policy area. Only 28 per cent of respondents aged 16–25 knew that the Welsh Government is responsible for the NHS, compared with 62.7 per centof respondents aged 65 and over.

The major survey also reveals a lack of trust in the UK Government, with over two-thirds reporting limited or no trust. While trust in the Welsh Government was a little better, almost half of respondents still reported mistrust.