People in Wales will have their personal data better protected after the Senedd approved regulations on 10 March abolishing the open electoral register.
The Representation of the People (Removal of the Edited Register) (Wales) Regulations 2026 will end the practice of selling voters’ details to direct marketing and other commercial organisations.
Young people and those considered vulnerable are among those who will benefit most, as they will be better protected from targeting by harmful organisations.
These changes will take effect after May’s Senedd elections on 1 October and will apply to the register used for future local and Senedd elections.
The change also unlocks the next stage of democratic reform – as under the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024, automatic voter registration cannot be rolled out until the open register is abolished.
Automatic registration – which has already been successfully piloted in four local authorities in Wales – will make it easier for everyone in Wales to participate in elections, reducing the burden of individual sign-up.
The Senedd also approved separate amendments to modernise local government election rules ahead of the 2027 elections. These include an exemption for safety-related spending from campaign finance limits — a recommendation of the Jo Cox Foundation — bringing local government elections in line with existing rules for Senedd elections.
Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant, said:
“This is a significant step forward for Welsh democracy. Voters deserve to have their information protected, not sold on to those who might do them harm.
“Wales is the first part of the UK to take this step for the local government register, demonstrating our commitment to a fairer, more modern electoral system.
“By removing the open register, we are also unlocking the path to automatic voter registration — making it easier for everyone in Wales to have their voice heard in Welsh elections.”
