Guidance

Flexible voting pilots: Factsheet

Published 2 March 2026

Applies to England

The government is partnering with several local authorities to pilot new methods of voting in person during the May 2026 local elections. These pilots will allow us to test the use of new technology in polling stations and to understand any impact on voting behaviour.

What is flexible voting?

Flexible voting refers to alternative methods of voting as opposed to traditional in-person voting on polling day at a nominated polling station.

Flexible voting includes existing voting methods such as postal voting and proxy voting, as well as alternative approaches not currently in use in the UK.

What new flexible voting methods will be piloted?

The pilots will test and evaluate two flexible voting methods designed to offer greater convenience and accessibility. These are:

• Voting Hubs: Centralised polling stations located in busy areas open on or before polling day. This is in addition to regular polling stations.

• Early in-person voting: Polling stations or hubs open ahead of polling day, which may include the weekend, offering flexibility for electors who prefer to vote in person but may not be able to get to their polling station on polling day.

How will the pilots be conducted?

In August 2025, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) invited local authorities to express interest in piloting flexible voting options at scheduled local elections in England on 7 May 2026.

In collaboration with the Electoral Commission, the government considered applications submitted from local authorities and confirmed that pilots will be conducted in the following local authority areas.

Early voting in hubs:

• Cambridge City Council
• North Hertfordshire District Council
• Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

On-the-day voting in hubs:

• Milton Keynes City Council

How will the pilots be evaluated?

Comprehensive evaluation will be vital to our understanding of the impact of these alternative approaches on voter convenience and satisfaction; accessibility and inclusive participation; feasibility; cost-effectiveness; and security.

Plans for evaluation will be developed in collaboration with participating local authorities and informed by the specific models being tested. Pilot evaluation reports will be published in the latter half of 2026.

The pilots will examine the operational, financial, and technological implications of delivering new flexible voting methods. This includes analysing cost and resource requirements, identifying risks and dependencies, and exploring the impact on the overall resilience of electoral delivery.

What if there is an unscheduled election or by-election on the same day?

Under current legislation, a local authority must apply to pilot in relation to a specific election. As a result, pilots will only take place at elections where planning and legislative requirements can be met.

In the event of an unscheduled UK Parliamentary, Police and Crime Commissioner, or Combined Authority Mayor election in a participating local authority area, these polls will not be conducted under pilot conditions and existing rules will apply.

In the event of an unscheduled parish or local by-election in a participating local authority area, these would be included in the pilot.

Will local authorities communicate if I am eligible to participate in the voting pilots?

Individual local authorities will inform eligible voters if they are able to participate in either of the flexible voting methods being piloted. Flexible voting is about adding choice to the way electors vote, therefore electors will be able to vote using their preferred method.

The exact methods of communication will be agreed with the participating local authorities; however, all relevant information will be included on poll cards.

Have there been previous flexible voting pilots conducted in the UK?

In 2022, the Welsh Government worked with four local authorities in Wales to conduct flexible voting pilots.

The UK Government worked with local authorities to deliver flexible voting pilots in the early 2000s, with a final set of pilots in 2007.

With this round of pilots, the government will expand the evidence base for future reforms and ensure that any changes to the voting process are grounded in real-world experience and robust evaluation.

Do other countries use similar flexible voting methods?

Over 60 countries offer early voting to at least some voters, including Canada, Portugal, and New Zealand.