Welsh election results 2021: Count to start after polling station queues

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image caption Most results from the Senedd elections are expected to be declared during the afternoon and evening

Counting of votes to elect 60 politicians to sit in the Welsh Parliament will begin later.

Long queues were seen outside polling stations as the polls officially closed at 22:00 BST on Thursday.

With counting delayed until Friday due to the coronavirus pandemic most results are expected to be declared in the afternoon and early evening.

Voting also took place for four police and crime commissioners - those ballots will be counted on Sunday.

As the polls closed for voting across Wales, some people posted photos on social media showing long queues, with reports of some queuing for hours to cast their votes.

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image caption People queued outside polling stations in Cardiff for up to one-and-a-half hours

People also said on social media they had been unable to vote due to being unable to wait due to work and childcare issues.

Long queues were seen outside polling booths across Cardiff, with hundreds of people waiting to vote in the areas of Canton, Victoria Park and Roath.

There were also reports of queues at other polling stations across Wales.

Parents were spotted queuing with their children in pyjamas, while some voters said they had waited an hour-and-a-half to vote.

Social distancing measures restricting the number of people allowed in to vote were among the reasons for the long queues.

As polls closed, Welsh Labour Leader and First Minister Mark Drakeford said: "On behalf of Welsh Labour, I thank everyone who has voted for us, and all those who have participated in these elections - particularly the 16 and 17-year-olds who have exercised their new right to vote for the first time.

"In the coming days, the political make-up of the next Senedd will become clear. We await those results."

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. View original tweet on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. View original tweet on Twitter

Labour, which has been in charge of the Welsh government for 22 years, are hoping to remain in power for a sixth term.

Welsh Labour leader, First Minister Mark Drakeford, admitted during the final day of campaigning that his party was "battling hard in north Wales".

image caption Long queues were seen at some polling stations in Cardiff as voting closed at 22:00

He hopes to keep the so-called "red wall" seats in north-east Wales his party lost to the Conservatives at the 2019 UK General Election .

Several senior Tory figures have visited the region in the past few weeks, hoping to convert Westminster gains at Wrexham, Vale of Clwyd, Clwyd South and Delyn into Senedd victories.

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In south Wales, the Conservatives are hoping to oust Labour in Vale of Glamorgan, a seat the Tories have held at Westminster since 2010.

Labour's power base is the 22 constituency seats it holds across the southern half of Wales, and losses there could have a major impact on the shape of the Senedd chamber.

Labour was stung by losing Rhondda to Plaid Cymru in the 2016 Welsh election, and party sources have been talking up their prospects of winning it back.

As well as defending Rhondda, Plaid targeted the Labour marginal of Llanelli, which has flipped between the two parties since 1999.

image caption Polls closed on Thursday night but counting has been delayed because of the pandemic

Tory-held Aberconwy is also a Plaid Cymru target seat.

Meanwhile, the Welsh Liberal Democrats are hoping to keep their single seat in Brecon and Radnorshire, while the Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party is hoping to make a breakthrough in the regional seats.

Of the 60 MSs who will be elected, 40 will serve constituencies and 20 will be elected to represent larger regional areas of North Wales, Mid and West Wales, South Wales West, South Wales Central and South Wales East.

image caption Michelle Brown sat as a UKIP MS until she resigned in 2019 to sit as an independent

In north Wales, there are potential issues after an independent candidate was missed-off ballot forms in two constituency voting areas, after a "printing error".

A number of voting papers for the regional north Wales seat did not include independent candidate Michelle Brown and she said she would be "examining the results very carefully" and "this is not the end of the matter".

A modern browser with JavaScript and a stable internet connection is required to view this interactive. More information about these elections

A really simple guide to the 2021 elections Note: This lookup covers national elections in Scotland and Wales, the Hartlepool by-election, as well as council and mayoral elections in England and Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections in England and Wales. There may be parish council elections or council by-elections where you are. Check your local council website for full details. Last updated: May 6, 2021, 21:45 GMT

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