whowonvoteUpdated
AN INDEPENDENT, NON-PARTISAN GUIDE
Who won depends on how the votes are counted.
The UK uses several voting systems. Westminster, Holyrood, the Senedd and Stormont each turn votes into seats in their own way. This guide explains the mechanics only, using the legislation and the Institute for Government's explainer.
4 SYSTEMS one country
Pick an election
THE SHORT ANSWER
Three ideas cover most UK elections:
most votes, top-ups and transfers.
MOST VOTES
In a UK general election the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins the seat. The law calls this the simple majority system.
Compare electionsTOP-UPS
Scottish voters have two votes: one for a local member, one for a regional party list that tops up the result.
See the numbersTRANSFERS
In Northern Ireland Assembly elections voters rank candidates, and votes not needed by one choice move to the next.
How transfers workGeneral information only, not legal advice. For advice on your own situation, speak to a qualified lawyer or a free advice service.
PICK AN ELECTION
Choose an election to see how its voting system decides who wins. The bar shows how much each voter marks on the ballot, from one cross to a full ranking.
Based on the Institute for Government's explainer on electoral systems across the UK and the legislation linked below. It explains mechanics only and says nothing about any party or candidate.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
One figure from Holyrood,
one from the Senedd.
73 + 56
Constituency members + regional members
73 members are elected by first past the post in constituencies. 56 additional members come from eight regions with seven seats each, allocated by the d'Hondt formula.
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT · IFG
60 → 96
Members of the Senedd from 2026
The Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 raised the number of members from 60 to 96, elected from 16 constituencies with six members each.
SENEDD CYMRU · IFG
The Institute for Government says that since devolution in 1999 the Northern Ireland Assembly's STV system has been the most proportional of the devolved systems, and all of them have been more proportional on average than UK general elections.
FOUR STEPS TO READ A RESULT
Before asking who won, it helps to know which rules applied. These steps work for any UK election result you read about.
General, local, devolved, mayoral or police and crime commissioner: GOV.UK lists the different types, and each has its own rules.
First past the post, additional member, closed list or single transferable vote: the system decides how votes become seats.
A Westminster constituency elects one MP; a Northern Ireland Assembly constituency elects five members.
Under STV the count runs in stages, with transfers after each, so the first-round figures are not the final picture.
HOW TRANSFERS WORK
Under STV a candidate needs a quota. The Droop quota is the total votes cast divided by one more than the number of seats, plus one. Votes above the quota are a surplus and pass on to the voters' next preferences at a fractional transfer value.
If nobody reaches the quota, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes go to the next available preference. The count repeats until every seat is filled.
Questions
Which voting system is used for UK general elections?
First past the post. Each constituency elects one MP, and the candidate with the most votes wins, even without a majority of all votes cast.
Why do Scottish voters get two votes?
The Scottish Parliament uses the additional member system. One vote elects a constituency member by first past the post; the second, regional vote tops up seats so the overall result better reflects party support.
What changed for the Senedd in 2026?
The 2026 election used a closed list proportional system. Members rose from 60 to 96, and 16 constituencies each elect six members, with seats shared using the d'Hondt formula.
What is the d'Hondt formula?
A method for sharing seats among parties in proportion to their votes. The Institute for Government notes it is used for Scottish regional seats and Senedd seats.
Is this site linked to a party or the Electoral Commission?
No. It is an independent informational guide to how voting systems work. It does not support any party, candidate or campaign and does not report results.
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