1999 National Assembly for Wales election

none December 2021 1999 National Assembly for Wales election Wales parliamentary no 6 May 1999 2003 National Assembly for Wales election 2003 1st National Assembly for Wales All 60 seats to the National Assembly for Wales 31 Opinion polling for the 1999 National Assembly for Wales election 46.3% Official portrait of Alun Michael AM.jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Alun Michael Welsh Labour Mid and West Wales 20 February 1999 28Includes 8 AMs sponsored by the Co-operative Party, who are designated Labour and Co-operative. Constituency vote 384,671 300px First Secretary First Secretary after election Alun Michael Welsh Labour Percentage Regional vote Percentage 37.6% 361,657 35.4% Official portrait of Dafydd Wigley AM.jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Dafydd Wigley Plaid Cymru Caernarfon 24 September 1991 17 290,572 28.4% 312,048 30.5% Rodrogers1999.jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Rod Richards Welsh Conservatives North Wales 10 November 1998 9 162,133 15.8% 168,206 16.5% Official portrait of Michael German AM.jpg 120 120 160 0 0 Michael Germanfn1 German was campaign leader and prospective group leader. The Welsh Liberal Democrat party leader during this election was Brecon and Radnorshire MP Richard Livsey, who would remain as leader until 2001. Welsh Liberal Democrats South Wales East 20 November 1998 6 137,857 13.5% 128,008 12.5% The inaugural election for the National Assembly for Wales was held on Thursday 6 May 1999 to elect 60 members to the National Assembly for Wales (cy Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru). It was the first devolved general election held in Wales after the successful 1997 Welsh devolution referendum. The election was held alongside the Scottish Parliament election (also the first of its kind) and English local elections. Although Welsh Labour were the biggest party, they did not gain enough seats to form a majority government and instead entered into coalition with the Liberal Democrats. The election was marked by the historically high level of support for Plaid Cymru, who won their highest share of the vote in any Wales-wide election and their highest number of seats in a Senedd election until both were surpassed in the 2026 Senedd election. The party won considerable support in traditionally safe Labour areas such as the South Wales Valleys, winning Rhondda and Islwyn and narrowly failing to win a number of other seats. The overall turnout of voters was 46.3%.Morgan Bryn Research Paper 99/51 – Welsh Assembly Elections: 6 May 1999 http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/RP99-51.pdf House of Commons Library 15 April 2015 12 May 1999 https://web.archive.org/web/20131110015520/http://www.parliament.uk/Templates/BriefingPapers/Pages/BPPdfDownload.aspx?bp-id=RP99-51 10 November 2013 This would remain the highest ever turnout for a devolved election in Wales until the 2021 Senedd election, which saw 46.6 of voters cast their ballot.https://www.statista.com/statistics/284390/welsh-assembly-elections-turnout-rates/ Welsh Parliament (Senedd Cymru) turnout rate 2021 Clark D. 9 July 2021 Statista 4 March 2023 en thumb|right|Results map of the 1999 National Assembly election (regional list results) Election results Overall turnout: 46.3% 1999 Welsh Assembly election |- | style="background-color:white" colspan=15 | center|360px |- !rowspan=3 colspan=2 | Parties !colspan=10 | Additional member system !rowspan=2 colspan=5 | Total seats |- !colspan=5 |Constituency !colspan=5 |Region |- ! Votes !! % !! +/− !! Seats !! +/− ! Votes !! % !! +/− !! Seats !! +/− ! Total !! +/− !! % |- Welsh Labour 384,671 37.6 N/A 27 N/A 361,657 35.4 N/A 1 N/A 28Includes 8 AMs sponsored by the Co-operative Party, who are designated Labour and Co-operative. N/A 46.7 Plaid Cymru 290,572 28.4 N/A 9 N/A 312,048 30.5 N/A 8 N/A 17 N/A 28.3 Welsh Conservative Party 162,133 15.8 N/A 1 N/A 168,206 16.5 N/A 8 N/A 9 N/A 15.0 Welsh Liberal Democrats 137,857 13.5 N/A 3 N/A 128,008 12.5 N/A 3 N/A 6 N/A 10.0 Wales Green Party 1,002 0.1 N/A 0 N/A 25,858 2.5 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A 0 Socialist Labour Party (UK) - - - - - 10,720 1.0 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A 0 Natural Law Party - - - - - 3,861 0.4 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A 0 United Socialist 3,967 0.4 N/A 0 N/A 3,590 0.4 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A 0 Communist Party of Britain 609 0.1 N/A 0 N/A 1,366 0.1 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A 0 Independent (politician) 30,554 3.0 N/A 0 N/A - - - - - 0 N/A 0 Independent Labour 4,134 0.4 N/A 0 N/A - - - - - 0 N/A 0 Others 7,736 0.8 N/A 0 N/A 4,673 0.5 N/A 0 N/A 0 N/A 0 |- |   || Total || 1,023,225 || || || 40 ||   || 1,019,987 || ||   || 20 || || 60 ||   || |} Votes summary Popular vote #ddd 600px 410px Labour Welsh Labour 35.40 Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru 30.50 Conservative Welsh Conservatives 16.50 Liberal Democrats Welsh Liberal Democrats 12.50 Green Wales Green Party 2.50 Socialist Labour Socialist Labour Party (UK) 1.00 Others #777777 1.60 Parliament seats #ddd 600px 410px Labour Welsh Labour 46.67 Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru 28.33 Conservative Welsh Conservatives 15.00 Liberal Democrats Welsh Liberal Democrats 10.00 Constituency and regional summary Mid and West Wales 1999 National Assembly for Wales election: Mid and West Wales |- ! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency ! style="width: 150px"|Elected member ! style="width: 300px"|Result Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Rhodri Glyn Thomas Plaid Cymru Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Christine Gwyther Welsh Labour Ceredigion Elin Jones Plaid Cymru Llanelli Helen Mary Jones Plaid Cymru Meirionnydd Nant Conwy Dafydd Elis-Thomas Plaid Cymru Montgomeryshire Mick Bates Welsh Liberal Democrats Preseli Pembrokeshire Richard Edwards Welsh Labour Brecon and Radnorshire Kirsty Williams Welsh Liberal Democrats 1999 National Assembly for Wales election: Mid and West Wales |- ! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party ! Elected candidates ! style="width: 40px"|Seats ! style="width: 40px"|+/− ! style="width: 50px"|Votes ! style="width: 40px"|% ! style="width: 40px"|+/−% |- Plaid Cymru 84,554 38.55% N/A 1 N/A Cynog Dafis Welsh Labour 53,842 24.55% N/A 1 N/A Alun Michael Welsh Conservative Party 36,622 16.70% N/A 2 N/A Nick Bourne Edward Glyn Davies Welsh Liberal Democrats 31,683 14.44% N/A 0 N/A Wales Green Party 7,718 3.52% N/A 0 N/A Socialist Labour Party (UK) 3,019 1.38% N/A 0 N/A Independent (politician) 1,214 0.55% N/A 0 N/A Natural Law Party 705 0.32% N/A 0 N/A North Wales 1999 National Assembly for Wales election: North Wales |- ! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency ! style="width: 150px"|Elected member ! style="width: 300px"|Result Alyn and Deeside Tom Middlehurst Welsh Labour Caernarfon Dafydd Wigley Plaid Cymru Clwyd South Karen Sinclair Welsh Labour Clwyd West Alun Pugh Welsh Labour Conwy Gareth Jones Plaid Cymru Delyn Alison Halford Welsh Labour Vale of Clwyd Margaret Ann Jones Welsh Labour Wrexham John Marek Welsh Labour Ynys Môn Ieuan Wyn Jones Plaid Cymru 1999 National Assembly for Wales election: North Wales |- ! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party ! Elected candidates ! style="width: 40px"|Seats ! style="width: 40px"|+/− ! style="width: 50px"|Votes ! style="width: 40px"|% ! style="width: 40px"|+/−% |- Welsh Labour 73,673 34.19% N/A 0 N/A Plaid Cymru 69,518 32.26% N/A 1 N/A Janet Ryder Welsh Conservative Party 41,700 19.35% N/A 2 N/A Rod Richards Peter Rogers Welsh Liberal Democrats 22,130 10.27% N/A 1 N/A Christine Humphreys Wales Green Party 4,667 2.17% N/A 0 N/A Rhuddlan Debt Protest Campaign 1,353 0.63% N/A 0 N/A Natural Law Party 917 0.43% N/A 0 N/A Welsh Socialist Alliance 828 0.38% N/A 0 N/A Communist Party of Britain 714 0.33% N/A 0 N/A South Wales Central 1999 National Assembly for Wales election: South Wales Central |- ! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency ! style="width: 150px"|Elected member ! style="width: 300px"|Result Cardiff South and Penarth Lorraine Barrett Labour Co-operative Cardiff West Rhodri Morgan Welsh Labour Cynon Valley Christine Chapman Labour Co-operative Pontypridd Jane Davidson Welsh Labour Rhondda Geraint Rhys Davies Plaid Cymru Vale of Glamorgan Jane Hutt Welsh Labour Cardiff Central Jennifer Elizabeth Randerson Welsh Liberal Democrats Cardiff North Sue Essex Welsh Labour 1999 National Assembly for Wales election: South Wales Central |- ! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party ! Elected candidates ! style="width: 40px"|Seats ! style="width: 40px"|+/− ! style="width: 50px"|Votes ! style="width: 40px"|% ! style="width: 40px"|+/−% |- Welsh Labour 79,564 36.92% N/A 0 N/A Plaid Cymru 58,080 26.95% N/A 2 N/A Pauline Jarman Owen John Thomas Welsh Conservative Party 34,944 16.22% N/A 2 N/A Jonathan Morgan David Melding Welsh Liberal Democrats 30,911 14.35% N/A 0 N/A Wales Green Party 5,336 2.48% N/A 0 N/A Socialist Labour Party (UK) 2,822 1.31% N/A 0 N/A Independent (politician) 1,524 0.71% N/A 0 N/A Natural Law Party 665 0.31% N/A 0 N/A Communist Party of Britain 652 0.30% N/A 0 N/A Welsh Socialist Alliance 602 0.28% N/A 0 N/A Independent (politician) 378 0.18% N/A 0 N/A South Wales East 1999 National Assembly for Wales election: South Wales East |- ! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency ! style="width: 150px"|Elected member ! style="width: 300px"|Result Islwyn Brian Hancock Plaid Cymru Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Huw Lewis Labour Co-operative Monmouth David Thomas Charles Davies Welsh Conservative Party Blaenau Gwent Peter Law Labour Co-operative Newport East John Griffiths Labour Co-operative Newport West Rosemary Butler Welsh Labour Torfaen Lynne Neagle Labour Co-operative Caerphilly Ron Davies Welsh Labour 1999 National Assembly for Wales election: South Wales East |- ! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party ! Elected candidates ! style="width: 40px"|Seats ! style="width: 40px"|+/− ! style="width: 50px"|Votes ! style="width: 40px"|% ! style="width: 40px"|+/−% |- Welsh Labour 83,953 41.82% N/A 0 N/A Plaid Cymru 49,139 24.48% N/A 2 N/A Jocelyn Davies Professor Philip James Stradling Williams Welsh Conservative Party 33,947 16.91% N/A 1 N/A William Graham Welsh Liberal Democrats 24,757 12.33% N/A 1 N/A Michael James German Socialist Labour Party (UK) 4,879 2.43% N/A 0 N/A Wales Green Party 4,055 2.02% N/A 0 N/A South Wales West 1999 National Assembly for Wales election: South Wales West |- ! colspan=2 style="width: 200px"|Constituency ! style="width: 150px"|Elected member ! style="width: 300px"|Result Aberavon Brian Gibbons Welsh Labour Gower Edwina Hart Welsh Labour Neath Gwenda Thomas Welsh Labour Ogmore Janice Gregory Welsh Labour Swansea East Val Feld Welsh Labour Swansea West Andrew David Davies Welsh Labour Bridgend Carwyn Jones Welsh Labour 1999 National Assembly for Wales election: South Wales West |- ! colspan="2" style="width: 150px"|Party ! Elected candidates ! style="width: 40px"|Seats ! style="width: 40px"|+/− ! style="width: 50px"|Votes ! style="width: 40px"|% ! style="width: 40px"|+/−% |- Welsh Labour 70,625 42.25% N/A 0 N/A Plaid Cymru 50,757 30.37% N/A 2 N/A Janet Marion Davies David Rees Lloyd Welsh Conservative Party 20,993 12.56% N/A 1 N/A Alun Cairns Welsh Liberal Democrats 18.527 11.09% N/A 1 N/A Peter Black Wales Green Party 4,082 2.44% N/A 0 N/A Welsh Socialist Alliance 1,257 0.75% N/A 0 N/A Natural Law Party 676 0.40% N/A 0 N/A People's Representative Party 204 0.12% N/A 0 N/A Opinion polls Opinion polling for the 1999 National Assembly for Wales election See also Senedd (formerly National Assembly for Wales) Senedd constituencies and electoral regions Notes References External links 1999 Welsh National Assembly Election at BBC News Manifestos Welsh Labour Welsh Liberal Democrats Plaid Cymru 1999 National Assembly for Wales National Assembly election Category:1990s elections in Wales National Assembly for Wales election