Plaid Cymru election results explained

This article lists Plaid Cymru's election results in UK parliamentary, European parliamentary, and Senedd elections.

Summary of electoral performance

Westminster elections

Year	Constituencies				Votes
Year	Number of candidates	Saved deposits^[1]	Number of elected MPs	Change	Total	Average per candidate	% UK vote	% Welsh vote	Change
		0	–		609	609	0.0%	0.0%	New
	2	1	–		2,050	1,025	0.0%	0.2%	0.2
		0	–		2,534	2,534	0.0%	0.3%	0.1
	7	1	–		16,017	2,288	0.0%	1.2%	0.9
	7	1	–		17,580	2,288	0.1%	1.2%	0.0
	4	0	–		10,920	2,730	0.0%	0.7%	0.5
	11	4	–		45,119	4,102	0.2%	3.1%	2.4
	20	6	–		77,571	3,879	0.3%	5.2%	2.1
	23	2	–		69,507	3,022	0.3%	4.8%	0.2
	20	2	–		61,071	3,054	0.2%	4.3%	0.5
	36	11	–		175,016	4,862	0.6%	11.5%	7.2
	36	10	2	2	171,374	4,760	0.5%	10.8%	0.7
	36	10	3	1	166,321	4,620	0.6%	10.8%
	36	7	2	1	132,544	3,682	0.4%	8.2%	2.6
	38	6	2		125,309	3,298	0.4%	7.8%	0.4
	38	13	3	1	123,599	3,253	0.4%	7.3%	0.5
	38	15	4	1	156,796	4,126	0.5%	9.0%	1.7
	40	25	4		161,030	4,026	0.5%	9.9%	0.9
	40	35	4		195,893	4,897	0.7%	14.3%	4.4
	40	32	3	1	174,838	4,371	0.6%	12.6%	1.7
	40	29	3		165,394	4,135	0.6%	11.3%	1.3
	40	32	3		181,704	4,543	0.6%	12.1%	0.9
	40	24	4	1	164,466	4,112	0.5%	10.4%	1.7
	36	27	4		153,265	4,257	0.5%	9.9%	0.5
	32	29	4		194,811	6,088	0.7%	14.8%	4.9

Welsh Assembly / Senedd elections

Date	Constituency					Region					Total seats
Votes	%	+/-	Seats	+/-	Votes	%	+/-	Top-up seats	+/-	Total	+/-	%
		290,572	28.4%	N/A		N/A	312,048	30.5%	N/A		N/A			N/A	28.3%
		180,185	21.2%	7.2		4	167,653	19.7%	10.8		1			5	20.0%
		219,121	21.4%	1.2		2	204,757	21.0%	1.3		1			3	25.0%
		182,907	19.3%	3.1		2	169,799	17.9%	3.1		2			4	18.3%
		209,376	20.5%	1.3		1	211,548	20.8%	2.9					1	20.0%
		225,376	20.3%	0.2		1	230,161	20.7	0.1		2		1	21.6%

European Parliament elections

Votes			Welsh seats
%	+/-		+/-	%
	83,399	11.7%	N/A		N/A	0%
	103,031	12.2%	0.5			0%
	115,062	12.9%	0.7			0%
	162,478	17.1%	4.2			0%
	185,235	29.6%	12.5		2	40%
	159,888	17.4%	12.2		1	25%
	126,702	18.5%	1.1			25%
	111,864	15.3%	3.3			25%
	163,928	19.6%	4.3			25%

Elections results

1931 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
		1,136	3.0	4
		914	29.1	2

By-elections 1935–1945

Votes	%	Position
1,330	22.5	2
6,844	24.8	2
6,290	16.2	2

1945 general election

Votes	%	Position
1,560	4.5	4
2,152	5.4	3
2,448	10.3	4
3,659	7.3	3
2,379	5.6	3
2,123	6.1	3
1,696	24.5	2

By-elections 1945–1950

Election	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
		5,685	29.4	2
		7,090	20.0	2

1950 general election

Votes	%	Position
3,310	7.5	3
4,882	13.1	4
2,134	3.8	4
2,754	11.0	4
1,357	3.9	4
2,183	6.6	3
960	1.7	4

1951 general election

Votes	%	Position
2,691	6.1	3
3,765	6.9	3
2,467	7.7	3
1,997	3.6	3

1955 general election

Votes	%	Position
3,703	9.4	3
1,259	4.1	3
2,183	7.5	3
5,815	16.5	3
3,835	7.8	3
3,019	7.8	3
4,101	10.6	3
6,398	12.5	3
5,243	22.2	3
2,776	8.8	4
4,424	15.3	2
5,139	10.4	3

By-elections 1955–1959

Votes	%	Position
1,978	3.8	3
5,741	11.5	3
2,927	10.0	3

1959 general election

Votes	%	Position
3,066	6.6	3
3,367	8.2	3
4,121	14.6	3
7,293	21.2	3
3,420	8.8	3
2,553	5.1	3
3,880	12.8	3
2,545	5.2	3
2,852	7.6	4
3,077	7.2	4
3,744	9.1	3
7,176	13.8	3
5,127	22.9	3
2,253	4.3	3
2,519	6.6	3
2,776	8.8	4
4,978	17.0	2
4,651	10.5	3
1,594	4.1	4
6,579	12.2	3

By-elections 1959–1964

Votes	%	Position
2,091	7.0	4
1,594	6.2	4
1,620	5.2	4

1964 general election

Votes	%	Position
2,118	4.6	3
2,723	7.2	3
1,817	6.5	4
2,165	5.2	3
6,998	21.4	3
3,956	11.0	3
1,058	2.2	4
3,262	10.9	4
5,495	11.7	3
3,058	8.3	3
3,444	7.9	4
2,562	6.5	3
3,469	7.0	4
3,697	16.9	3
2,878	9.3	3
2,167	8.5	4
2,470	5.3	3
1,717	3.4	4
2,519	6.6	3
2,361	8.2	4
2,668	10.2	3
3,556	8.4	3
1,195	3.0	4
4,673	8.9	3

1966 general election

Votes	%	Position
3,073	8.6	3
2,596	9.6	3
2,410	6.1	3
6,834	21.7	3
3,949	11.1	3
2,469	8.1	4
7,416	16.1	3
2,552	6.7	3
2,695	6.1	4
902	1.9	4
5,132	10.9	3
2,490	11.4	3
3,361	11.5	3
1,841	7.4	4
2,460	5.0	4
2,088	7.5	3
2,172	8.7	2
2,749	6.8	3
1,585	3.8	4
2,297	4.5	4

By-elections 1966–1970

Votes	%	Position
16,179	39.0	1
10,067	39.9	2
14,274	40.4	2

1970 general election

Votes	%	Position
3,912	8.4	3
11,431	30.0	2
1,751	6.2	3
7,140	22.1	3
4,200	7.1	3
3,780	10.0	3
2,349	5.4	3
11,331	33.4	2
11,505	28.5	2
1,927	4.1	4
2,585	5.1	3
4,378	10.1	3
6,498	19.7	3
14,812	30.1	2
4,311	10.8	3
5,254	11.0	4
2,332	4.4	4
1,805	6.0	4
5,869	14.0	3
8,387	16.8	2
5,425	24.3	2
3,076	9.6	4
1,501	2.5	4
3,145	11.8	4
4,012	10.1	3
1,997	3.7	3
5,828	11.7	3
3,681	6.7	4
2,053	5.3	3
5,059	10.4	4
6,931	24.3	2
3,528	14.1	2
4,188	10.2	3
3,033	6.2	3
3,108	6.9	4
2,894	5.3	4

February 1974 general election

Votes	%	Position
5,898	12.2	3
11,973	29.9	2
3,119	10.9	2
7,610	21.7	3
1,924	3.4	4
3,048	7.7	4
2,099	4.7	4
14,103	40.5	1
11,956	27.5	2
1,586	4.6	4
1,227	3.4	4
1,254	3.0	5
2,093	5.5	4
4,754	13.3	4
17,162	34.3	2
4,203	10.1	4
4,103	8.1	4
1,135	2.0	4
1,767	5.9	4
3,741	8.3	4
6,020	12.0	4
7,823	34.6	1
7,336	22.9	2
930	1.5	4
2,274	8.3	4
8,758	21.5	2
936	1.6	4
5,139	9.6	4
2,820	4.8	4
1,308	3.1	4
4,612	8.6	4
6,739	12.9	2
5,135	11.9	3
1,859	3.6	4
2,296	4.4	4
2,624	4.5	4

October 1974 general election

Votes	%	Position
4,032	8.5	4
8,133	21.3	2
2,480	9.0	2
6,410	19.1	3
1,793	3.3	4
3,086	8.0	4
2,300	5.2	4
14,624	42.6	1
10,452	24.5	2
1,464	4.6	4
1,278	3.7	4
983	2.4	4
2,008	5.5	4
4,583	13.2	4
23,325	45.1	1
4,668	11.8	4
5,754	11.9	4
1,779	3.2	4
2,101	7.3	4
4,369	10.0	4
6,797	13.7	3
9,543	42.5	1
4,455	14.8	2
839	1.4	4
2,440	9.3	4
7,305	17.9	2
1,216	2.1	4
4,290	8.4	4
2,580	4.5	4
2,223	5.6	4
3,917	7.6	4
4,173	8.3	2
3,978	9.5	4
1,778	3.6	4
2,306	4.8	4
2,859	5.1	4

1979 general election

Votes	%	Position
1,954	3.8	4
3,652	9.8	3
2,248	7.9	3
7,863	20.3	3
1,281	2.1	4
2,648	6.6	3
1,031	2.2	4
17,420	49.7	1
6,931	14.9	3
1,081	3.0	4
743	2.1	4
628	1.6	3
3,272	10.4	2
5,382	14.5	4
16,689	32.0	2
3,497	8.6	4
4,915	9.3	4
1,198	2.0	4
1,884	6.5	4
3,357	7.2	4
3,793	7.4	4
9,275	40.8	1
2,962	9.4	3
641	1.0	4
2,440	9.3	4
6,430	15.3	3
473	0.8	4
2,450	4.4	4
1,573	2.5	4
1,169	2.6	4
2,200	3.8	4
4,226	8.4	3
2,732	6.0	4
1,012	1.9	4
1,720	3.2	4
1,740	2.8	4

1983 general election

Votes	%	Position
1,859	4.6	4
413	0.9	4
1,624	3.8	4
640	1.7	4
1,312	3.2	4
18,308	52.7	1
6,414	13.6	4
704	1.8	4
974	2.4	4
673	1.6	4
848	2.1	4
14,099	27.1	3
6,072	12.9	4
1,669	3.7	4
3,684	8.6	4
4,105	10.4	4
3,421	9.3	4
1,558	3.2	4
1,444	3.2	4
1,574	4.0	4
5,880	12.2	4
9,709	39.2	1
2,058	5.8	4
493	1.1	4
1,585	5.3	4
3,046	7.2	4
697	1.7	4
477	1.1	4
3,124	7.9	4
1,073	2.0	4
2,065	4.7	4
4,845	10.2	3
1,531	3.7	4
795	1.9	4
896	2.1	4
1,068	2.3	4
1,239	2.6	4
13,333	33.3	2

By-elections 1983–1987

Election	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
1984 Cynon Valley by-election		3,619	11.0	3
1985 Brecon and Radnor by-election		435	1.1	4

1987 general election

Votes	%	Position
1,124	2.8	4
478	1.0	4
1,621	3.8	4
535	1.3	4
1,065	2.3	4
20,338	57.1	1
3,955	8.1	4
535	1.3	4
692	1.6	4
599	1.3	4
736	1.7	4
12,457	23.0	3
7,848	16.3	4
1,966	4.0	4
3,987	8.4	4
3,177	7.8	4
2,549	6.7	4
1,329	2.5	4
1,341	2.8	4
1,932	4.8	4
5,088	10.2	4
10,392	40.0	1
2,085	4.7	4
363	0.8	4
1,412	4.5	4
2,792	6.4	4
458	1.1	4
377	0.8	4
1,791	4.4	4
1,119	2.0	4
2,498	5.3	4
4,261	8.9	2
1,145	2.7	4
902	2.0	4
577	1.3	4
946	1.8	4
539	1.1	4
18,580	43.2	1

By-elections 1987–1992

Election	Votes	%	Position
1989 Pontypridd by-election	9,775	25.3	2
1989 Vale of Glamorgan by-election	1,672	3.5	4
1991 Neath by-election	8,132	23.3	2
1991 Monmouth by-election	277	0.6	5

Witherden was a joint candidate with the Green Party of England and Wales.

1992 general election

Votes	%	Position
1,919	4.8	4
551	1.1	4
2,099	4.8	4
418	0.9	4
1,301	2.8	4
21,439	59.0	1
4,821	9.7	3
748	1.7	4
916	1.9	4
776	1.6	4
1,177	2.6	4
17,957	31.5	2
16,020	31.3	1
1,888	3.6	4
4,835	9.8	4
3,108	7.4	4
4,186	11.0	3
1,414	2.6	4
1,658	2.8	4
1,636	3.9	4
7,878	15.6	3
11,608	44.0	1
2,704	6.1	4
431	0.9	4
1,581	4.8	4
5,145	11.3	3
716	1.7	4
653	1.4	4
2,667	6.3	4
1,627	2.7	4
4,448	9.1	3
5,427	11.8	2
1,607	3.6	4
1,668	3.8	4
1,210	2.6	4
1,160	2.1	4
1,415	2.8	4
15,984	37.1	1

1997 general election

Votes	%	Position
2,088	5.8	4
738	1.8	5
2,072	5.2	4
622	1.5	5
1,649	3.8	5
4,383	9.7	3
17,616	51.0	1
1,504	3.6	5
1,201	2.5	4
1,356	3.2	5
1,949	4.8	4
14,457	34.6	2
5,402	12.7	3
16,728	41.6	1
2,500	6.3	4
5,421	13.5	3
2,844	6.8	4
3,552	10.6	2
1,558	3.8	4
2,226	5.1	4
2,272	6.2	4
7,812	19.0	2
12,465	50.7	1
2,344	6.0	4
516	1.1	5
1,608	5.0	4
3,344	8.1	3
721	1.9	6
648	1.6	5
2,679	7.0	4
2,977	6.5	4
2,683	6.3	4
5,450	13.4	2
1,308	3.4	4
2,675	6.6	4
1,042	2.4	5
2,301	5.9	4
1,393	2.6	4
1,170	3.2	5
15,756	39.5	1

2001 general election

Votes	%	Position
2,955	9.8	2
1,182	3.3	4
3,542	11.2	2
1,301	3.5	4
2,653	7.2	4
8,172	21.0	2
12,894	44.4	1
1,680	4.8	4
2,471	5.7	4
1,983	5.5	4
3,296	9.7	4
16,130	42.4	1
6,893	18.7	3
13,241	38.3	1
3,982	11.9	3
4,453	12.9	3
5,665	16.5	4
4,687	17.4	2
2,262	6.5	4
3,865	10.3	4
3,767	11.9	3
11,183	30.9	2
10,459	49.6	1
4,651	14.7	2
1,068	2.4	4
1,969	6.8	4
6,437	18.4	2
1,519	4.9	4
2,510	7.2	4
4,259	14.0	2
5,279	13.8	2
4,658	12.7	3
7,183	21.1	2
3,464	11.5	4
3,404	10.6	4
2,720	7.7	4
2,300	7.1	4
2,867	6.3	4
1,783	5.9	4
11,106	32.6	2

2005 general election

Votes	%	Position
3,545	11.8	3
1,320	3.7	4
843	2.4	4
1,404	3.7	4
2,527	6.7	4
6,831	17.4	2
12,747	45.5	1
1,271	3.5	4
1,936	4.3	4
2,023	5.5	4
4,316	12.5	4
17,561	45.9	1
5,582	14.7	3
12,911	35.9	2
3,111	9.4	4
3,874	10.9	4
3,730	11.1	4
3,815	14.3	2
2,524	7.4	4
3,089	7.8	4
3,947	12.8	2
9,358	26.5	2
10,597	51.3	1
2,972	9.9	4
993	2.2	4
2,078	6.9	4
6,125	17.1	2
1,221	3.8	4
1,278	3.6	4
3,148	10.4	4
4,420	11.2	4
4,752	12.3	4
4,956	15.9	2
2,129	6.9	4
2,150	6.5	4
2,242	6.2	4
2,309	7.1	4
2,423	5.1	4
1,744	5.7	4
11,036	31.1	2

2010 general election

Votes	%	Position
2,198	7.1	4
5,341	17.8	4
1,549	3.9	4
9,383	36.0	1
1,333	4.1	5
989	2.5	4
2,269	5.9	4
6,460	16.7	3
1,246	3.4	4
1,588	3.3	4
1,851	4.2	4
2,868	7.0	4
13,546	35.6	1
4,232	10.4	4
10,815	28.3	2
3,009	8.7	4
5,864	15.4	3
6,064	20.3	2
1,844	5.0	4
12,814	44.3	1
2,760	6.6	4
4,518	13.0	3
11,215	29.9	2
1,621	5.1	5
1,273	2.7	4
2,802	8.3	3
7,397	19.9	2
724	2.1	5
1,122	2.8	6
3,326	9.6	4
2,673	7.3	4
3,654	9.2	4
5,630	18.1	2
2,181	6.7	4
1,437	4.0	4
2,005	5.3	4
2,068	5.8	4
2,667	5.5	4
2,029	6.2	4
9,029	26.2	2

2015 general election

Votes	%	Position
3,663	11.6	4
3,536	11.7	3
1,608	3.9	5
11,790	43.9	1
2,849	9.0	4
1,767	4.4	5
2,784	7.1	4
5,895	14.6	4
1,925	5.0	6
2,301	4.5	4
3,433	7.4	4
6,096	13.9	3
15,140	38.4	1
4,201	10.4	4
10,347	27.7	2
3,620	10.3	4
4,651	12.2	4
5,126	16.8	2
1,803	4.8	4
11,811	40.9	1
3,051	7.1	4
3,794	10.7	4
8,853	23.0	2
3,099	9.5	4
1,875	3.9	5
1,745	5.2	5
6,722	18.1	2
1,231	3.5	5
1,604	4.0	4
3,556	10.1	4
4,348	11.5	5
2,518	6.2	5
8,521	27.0	2
3,498	10.4	4
2,266	6.4	5
2,169	5.7	4
2,486	7.1	4
2,869	5.6	4
2,501	7.6	4
10,642	30.5	2

2017 general election

Votes	%	Position
2,761	8.3	3
3,170	9.9	3
1,171	2.6	3
11,519	40.8	1
6,880	21.2	2
1,299	3.1	4
1,783	4.1	3
5,962	14.4	3
999	2.5	4
1,738	3.3	3
2,162	4.3	3
4,418	9.5	3
16,127	39.3	1
3,933	9.3	3
11,623	29.2	1
2,292	6.1	3
3,918	9.6	3
4,376	13.8	3
1,481	3.8	3
13,687	45.1	1
1,669	3.7	3
2,739	7.6	3
7,351	18.2	3
2,740	8.2	3
1,338	2.7	4
1,960	5.6	4
5,339	13.9	3
881	2.4	5
1,077	2.5	4
2,796	7.5	3
4,102	10.3	3
2,711	6.4	3
7,350	22.3	2
1,689	4.8	3
1,529	4.1	3
2,059	5.4	3
1,551	4.0	3
2,295	4.3	3
1,753	5.0	3
10,237	27.4	3

2019 general election

Votes	%	Position
2,711	8.6	4
2,704	8.5	3
1,453	3.4	5
13,134	45.2	1
1,722	5.7	4
2,013	4.8	4
6,424	16.0	3
3,580	6.8	3
2,386	4.7	4
3,864	8.4	3
15,939	38.9	1
3,633	8.6	3
15,208	37.9	1
2,137	5.9	3
3,907	9.7	3
2,562	8.5	4
1,406	3.7	5
14,447	48.3	1
2,288	5.1	3
2,287	6.7	4
7,048	18.4	3
2,449	7.6	4
1,182	2.4	5
4,495	12.2	3
872	2.4	5
1,187	2.7	5
2,919	8.3	4
4,990	12.8	3
2,776	6.5	3
4,069	13.7	3
1,907	5.7	4
1,984	5.5	4
1,441	3.9	4
1,552	4.2	3
2,151	6.4	3
10,418	28.5	3

2024 general election

Constituency	Candidate	Votes	%	Position
Aberafan Maesteg	Colin Deere	4,719	20.9	3
Alyn and Deeside	Jack Morris	1,938	4.5	5
Bangor Aberconwy	Catrin Wager	9,112	21.9	2
Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney	Niamh Salkeld	3,844	12.8	2
Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe	Emily Durrant-Munro	2,280	4.9	5
Bridgend	Iolo Caudy	3,629	8.8	4
Caerfyrddin	Ann Davies	15,520	34.0	1
Caerphilly	Lindsay Whittle	8,119	21.2	2
Cardiff East	Cadewyn Skelley	3,550	9.1	6
Cardiff North	Malcolm Phillips	4,669	9.8	4
Cardiff South and Penarth	withdrew support from their nominated candidate	3,227	8.2	5
Cardiff West	Kiera Marshall	9,423	21.1	2
Ceredigion Preseli	Ben Lake	21,738	46.9	1
Clwyd East	Paul Penlington	3,733	7.8	4
Clwyd North	Paul Rowlinson	3,159	7.6	4
Dwyfor Meirionnydd	Liz Saville Roberts	21,788	53.9	1
Gower	Kieran Pritchard	3,942	8.3	4
Llanelli	Rhodri Davies	9,511	23.3	3
Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare	Francis Whitefoot	4,768	13.5	3
Mid and South Pembrokeshire	Cris Tomos	2,962	6.4	4
Monmouthshire	Ioan Bellin	1,273	2.5	6
Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr	Elwyn Vaughan	5,667	13.1	5
Neath and Swansea East	Andrew Jenkins	5,350	13.3	3
Newport East	Jonathan Clark	2,239	5.8	4
Newport West and Islwyn	Brandon Ham	3,529	8.4	4
Pontypridd	Wil Rees	5,275	13.4	3
Rhondda and Ogmore	Owen Cutler	5,198	14.5	3
Swansea West	Gwyn Williams	4,105	11.5	4
Torfaen	Matthew Jones	2,571	7.2	4
Vale of Glamorgan	Ian Johnson	3,245	7.1	4
Wrexham	Becca Martin	4,138	10.2	4
Ynys Môn	Llinos Medi	10,590	32.5	1

References

Book: Craig. F. W. S.. British Parliamentary Election Statistics 1918-1968. registration. 1968. Political Reference Publications. Glasgow. 0900178000. 46.

F. W. S. Craig, Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833-1987
F. W. S. Craig, British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services.
F. W. S. Craig, British parliamentary election results 1950–1973 (2 ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services.
F. W. S. Craig, British parliamentary election results, 1974–1983. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services.
C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, British Parliamentary Election Results 1983–1997, (Aldershot: Ashgate, 1999)
C. Rallings & M. Thrasher, Britain Votes 6, (Aldershot: Ashgate 1998)
Electoral Commission, Compiled by Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher, Election 2001 - The Official Results, (London: Politicos, 2001)
Beti Jones, Etholiadau'r ganrif