Burak Bir
07 May 2026•Update: 07 May 2026
Voters are headed to the polls Thursday in Scotland and Wales to elect representatives to their devolved legislatures, while people in England are casting ballots for some 5,000 seats across 136 local councils in the UK's biggest set of elections since the 2024 general election.
About 5,000 seats across 136 local councils will be up for grabs across England, while six mayoral contests are also running in Watford and five London boroughs – Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, and Tower Hamlets.
Scottish voters are voting to decide who governs the region in key areas as all 129 members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) are up for reelection.
There are 73 constituency MSPs and 56 regional MSPs (seven per region) in Holyrood, as the parliament is called.
Voters in Wales will choose their next Welsh government and members of the Senedd in the biggest change to the parliament since powers began to be transferred to Wales in 1999.
The number of members of the Senedd will be expanded from the current 60 to 96 representatives from 16 newly devised constituencies.
Polling stations opened at 7 am local time (0600GMT) and are set to close at 10 pm (2100GMT).
Voters do not need ID to vote in person in the Scottish Parliament or Senedd elections, while all eligible people voting in person in the local elections in England are required to bring valid photo ID, such as a passport or driver’s license.
In Northern Ireland, local council and assembly elections are scheduled for next May.
Ahead of the polls, both Reform UK and the Greens are seen as front-runners, as multiple surveys suggest growing discontent with both the ruling Labour Party and the Conservatives.
Although the top political issues in England, Scotland, and Wales differ somewhat, the cost of living, social issues, policing, and immigration are the main issues for the elections in England and Wales, while Scottish independence remains a key topic for voters in Scotland, in addition to the cost of living and social care.
