Kerala's vote count for the 2026 state assembly election is underway, with 140 counting centres set up across 43 locations and tight security deployed statewide.

The contest is a three-way race between the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is seeking to expand its foothold in a state where it has historically struggled to win seats.

What Is at Stake

The LDF, led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), is defending its government after winning a rare consecutive term in 2021. The UDF, anchored by the Indian National Congress, is trying to return to power after a decade largely out of office at the state level. The BJP is aiming to convert its growing vote share into actual seats, which has been its consistent challenge in Kerala's first-past-the-post system.

Kerala's 140 assembly constituencies will determine the next government. A party or alliance needs 71 seats for a majority. Counting proceeds constituency by constituency, with postal ballots counted first before electronic voting machine tallies begin.

How Results Will Unfold

Counting centres are spread across all 14 districts. Security has been tightened at each location, a standard precaution during counting day to prevent disruption. Results typically become clear within several hours of counting starting, though close seats can take longer to finalise.

Vote share will be watched closely alongside seat tallies. In Kerala, the gap between vote share and seats won is often significant because of the competitive three-way dynamic — a party can win a large share of votes but still lose seats narrowly to rivals.

The BJP's performance in constituencies like Thrissur, where it made inroads in 2021, will be an early indicator of whether it can finally break through at scale. LDF and UDF strongholds in northern and central Kerala, respectively, will set the overall direction quickly.

Watch for: the margin of victory in swing seats, whether any alliance crosses 71 seats cleanly, and the BJP's final seat count relative to its vote share.