The way we vote in person has not changed since 1872. Big changes are being tested in the way people vote at polling stations – helping to make elections more convenient, accessible and better suited to modern life.
What’s changing?
🗳️ Making voting more convenient
Several councils will pilot simpler ways of voting in person, giving people greater choice about where and when they cast their ballot.
🏢 Voting in shopping centres
In one pilot voters will be able to vote at centralised hubs located in places like shopping centres, rather than being restricted to a single local polling station. Any eligible voter in the local authority will be able to use these hubs.
📅 Weekend voting
Other pilot areas will offer advance voting in the days before polling day, including weekends, making it easier for people who can’t vote on the day itself.
Where and when will this happen?
🗓️ When?
The pilots will take place at the local elections in May 2026, with early voting in some areas taking place in the days before polling day.
📍 Where?
Pilots will run in 4 local authority areas in England, working closely with the Electoral Commission to test what works best. Those areas are: Milton Keynes, Tunbridge Wells, Cambridge and North Hertfordshire.
Why are these changes important?
These pilots are about modernising democracy so it fits better with how people live today.
They will help:
- Make voting simpler for people with busy lives or caring responsibilities
- Reduce barriers for disabled voters and those who find current arrangements difficult
- Improve efficiency at polling stations, reducing queues and delays
- Test evidence based reforms before any wider changes are considered
What happens next?
After the May 2026 elections:
- The pilots will be fully evaluated
- Lessons learned will be published later in 2026
- Any future changes will be based on evidence of what works best for voter
🚐 Exploring future options
Future pilots could also include mobile polling stations or allowing voters to vote at any polling station in their area - all aimed at improving access while keeping elections secure.