THE Electoral Commission is posting a booklet to every household in Wales to explain how to vote at the Senedd and Police and Crime Commissioner elections taking place on May 6.

The booklet aims to help voters understand if they are eligible, how to register, and what to expect if voting in person this year with Covid protocols in place. It will also explain how to register for other options, such as postal voting.

16-17 year olds and all qualifying foreign citizens in Wales will be able to vote in the Senedd election for the first time this year. 

To vote in the Police and Crime Commissioner election, you must be over 18, and a British, Commonwealth or European Union citizen.

All voters must be registered by April 19. April 20 is the deadline to apply for a postal vote, and April 27 if you want to vote by proxy, where someone else votes on your behalf.

A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission said:

“The May elections are a complex set of polls and the Commission aims to ensure all voters in Wales are fully informed and able to cast their vote with confidence. The extension of the franchise means there are an estimated 99,000 new voters across Wales. Our priority is to ensure voters have the information they need to make the right decision for their individual circumstances.”

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Anyone in Wales is able to register for a postal vote without giving a reason, but the Commission are confident that polling stations will be safe places to vote in, with familiar measures like hand sanitiser, floor markings and face coverings.

The Commission has suggested people bring their own pen or pencil this year for safety. However, voters who do not will not be turned away, and there will be a supply of clean pencils at each polling station.

The Commission has been working with organisations representing young people and foreign citizens, as well as groups who often are disinclined to vote, such as some people from ethnic minorities and some disabled people. The Commission has been working with a number of organisations including Youth Cymru, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Disability Wales, and the Welsh Refugee Council to encourage the widest take-up in the community

At the Senedd election, people  have two votes, the first to elect a Member of the Senedd to represent their constituency. This vote uses the same first-past-the-post system, like Westminster elections. Voters will also receive a second ballot paper, to vote for Members of the Senedd to represent their larger regional area.

Parties are allocated regional list seats based on the number of votes they receive and the number of constituency seats they have already gained in that region. Parties who have gained more constituency seats are less likely to gain reginal list seats.

Police and Crime Commissioners oversee local police forces. In this election you can vote for a first and second choice candidate.

If you have not registered before or have recently moved house, you need to register by midnight on April 19. If you have not yet received a poll card in the post, this may mean you are not registered to your current address.

This article originally appeared on the Argus' sister site The National.