A new research initiative will examine the 2026 Senedd election in Wales, bringing together academics from Swansea University and Aberystwyth University. The project is supported by the Wales Institute of Social Research and Data (WISERD) and funded as part of the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) investment in electoral research infrastructure.
Professor Alison Park, Deputy Executive Chair of ESRC, said: “ESRC is delighted to support the study of the 2026 Welsh election, which is a cornerstone of our commitment to the long-term importance of UK election studies. This targeted investment ensures that researchers, policymakers, and political communities across the UK continue to benefit from the rich insights these studies provide.
“Since 1999, the Welsh Election Study has been a vital lens into Welsh politics, elections, and voter behaviour. We look forward to seeing the insights from the next Welsh Election Study led by Swansea, building on the excellent work of the teams which preceded them.”
The project team includes Professor Matt Wall and Dr Bettina Petersohn from Swansea University, along with Dr Anwen Elias from Aberystwyth University. The research will focus on collecting original survey data during the 2026 Senedd election, scheduled for May 7. This election will be notable as it marks Wales's first under a new electoral system that increases Senedd membership from 60 to 96 seats.
Professor Matt Wall stated: "I'm honoured to lead the next chapter of the Welsh Election Study. This is an exciting opportunity to deepen our understanding of political behaviour in Wales and to ensure that high-quality, accessible data supports informed public debate and effective policymaking.
“The survey will be designed to allow comparative analysis of the 2026 Welsh election across the UK and internationally. WES 2026 will make it possible to study place-politics in new ways. Drawing on the opportunities of geo-tagged, publicly available data and working with the Welsh social research community through our partnership with WISERD, the 2026 WES will see Wales at the cutting edge of electoral analysis techniques, prioritising data quality, accessibility, and impact.”
Dr Anwen Elias commented: “This project will track public opinion in Wales at a critical time for Welsh democracy – with the introduction of a new system for electing representatives to a larger Senedd, and the political changes that may come about as a result of these reforms. I’m thrilled to be part of the project team, which will work with decision-makers and young people to inform and share the findings of the research.”
WISERD’s involvement provides access to broad social research resources across Wales. The collaboration also aims to build capacity within both Welsh-specific and broader UK electoral research fields.
Professor Adam Hedgecoe, Director of WISERD, said: “WISERD is incredibly proud to add the Welsh election study to its portfolio of research projects, drawing on resources and expertise across a number of our constituent universities this is a great example of the collaborative, cross-institutional research that WISERD has pioneered in Wales.”