More people in Wales back the current voting system than the one it replaced.
A new study into May’s Senedd election shows 35.2 per cent of voters support the use of party voting under the closed-list proportional representation model, compared to 30.6 per cent who prefer the previous method of voting for individual candidates.
The Welsh Election Study 2026 found that 58 per cent of respondents did not understand the new system.
However, 69 per cent said it was easy to vote and 58 per cent felt it was fair in the survey led by academics from Aberystwyth and Swansea universities.
Dr Anwen Elias, from Aberystwyth University, said: "While many people found the new voting system straightforward to use, understanding of how it worked remained limited."
The study also found that one in four voters cast their ballot tactically to block another party, with Plaid Cymru benefitting most from this.
Voters reported positive feelings towards Plaid Cymru and the Wales Green Party, while views of Reform UK were described as negative.
Economic decline emerged as a significant concern.
Dr Elias said: "Many respondents feel a strong sense of pride in the communities where they live.
"But there is also a clear frustration with the economic decline in these places."
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