E-democracy is the effective use of new digital channels (such as Twitter or Facebook) and traditional communications techniques (such as Press Releases) to ensure the Senedd engages effectively with the people of Wales and allows them to converse quickly and easily with the Senedd in turn.

Senedd elections are usually held every five years. The people of Wales aged 16 or over can vote for their favoured parties and political hopefuls. Everyone that votes gets two ballot papers. One is for their Constituency Member; the person that represents their local area in the Senedd. The other is used to vote for Regional Members, but rather than voting for individuals, they vote for a political party.

This is the list of people who are registered to vote. You need to have your name on the electoral roll before you can vote in any election. In Wales, to be able to vote you have to be aged 16 or over on the day the election is held among other qualifying credentials.

Members may make a request at any time to ask an Emergency Question to a member of the Welsh Government or Senedd Commission during Plenary meetings. However, Emergency Questions are only allowed if the Presiding Officer (or the Deputy Presiding Officer if a question relates to the Senedd Commission) is satisfied that the question is of urgent national significance.

Any Member who at any time, with the support of Senedd Commission funds, employs, either directly or indirectly, a person whom that Member knows to be a family member of that Member or of another Member must include such details in their register of interests.

Matters that are reserved to the UK Parliament by the Government of Wales Act 2006 (as amended by the Wales Act 2017) in which the Senedd can still legislate. For example, Senedd and local government elections are not reserved under “Section B1 Elections”; fracking licensing is not reserved under “Section D2 Oil and gas”; parental discipline is not reserved under “Section L12 Family relationships and children”.

A term used to describe Government and distinguish it from the legislature, or parliament. In Wales the executive is the Welsh Government, and the legislature is the Welsh Parliament (Senedd). The executive formulates policy and implements legislation.

Members are entitled to funds to employ staff and run offices in their constituencies so that they can deal with issues and cases raised by the people they represent. These are known as expenses. They are also entitled to be reimbursed for any expenses incurred when it has been necessary to stay away from their main home overnight when carrying out official Senedd duties.

Each Bill presented to the Senedd must also be accompanied by an Explanatory Memorandum that sets out its policy objectives, details of any consultation already undertaken, estimates of the costs of implementing the Bill and any other relevant information.