County Council elections
County Council elections are held every four years. The election was held on Thursday 6 May 2021.
2025 By-Election
Ashdown and Conquest division by-election - Declaration of Result of Poll
Ashdown and Conquest division by-election - Notice of Poll
Ashdown and Conquest division local government election - Statement of Persons Nominated
Ashdown and Conquest division by-election - Notice of Election Agents
Ashdown and Conquest division by-election - Notice of Election
Ashdown and Conquest division by-election - Notice of Vacancy
Upcoming Elections
The government has decided to postpone county elections due in May 2025 in areas which are part of its priority programme for English devolution.
Ministers decided this was necessary to enable its ambitious programme of devolution and reorganisation of local government, including in East Sussex. It wants councils free to focus scarce resources on this democratic programme, including preparing for a mayoral election in May 2026 and for elections to new unitary councils.
It was the government’s view that the alternative would have been to hold elections to a body which is not expected to continue in its current form. This would have cost more than £1.5 million of public money.
Ministers emphasised there is well-established precedent for postponing elections to enable reorganisation, including in North Yorkshire, Cumbria, Somerset and Buckinghamshire.
Ministers will now bring legislation to parliament to enable the new election timetable.
2023 By-Elections
Heathfield and Mayfield division by-Election - July 2023
Eastbourne - Meads division by-Election - August 2023
Following the by-elections in 2023, the County Council has:
- Conservative – 25 (27)
- Liberal Democrats – 12 (11)
- Labour – 5 (5)
- Green – 5 (4)
- Independent Democrats - 2
- Independents – 1 (3)
(pre-by-elections number of seats in brackets)
A map [2.9 MB] [pdf] of the current elected Members for East Sussex divisions following the 2023 by-elections is available.
County Council elections - 6 May 2021
The County Council elections were held on Thursday 6 May 2021.
50 Councillors were elected. The County Council has:
- Conservative – 27 (30)
- Liberal Democrats – 11 (11)
- Labour – 5 (4)
- Green – 4 (0)
- Independents – 3 (5)
(pre-election number of seats in brackets)
Results
Previous County Council Elections
Information about the County Council elections in 2017 and 2013.
Pre-election period guidance
Guidance for elected Members and local authority staff on the pre-election period, sometimes referred to as ‘purdah’:
East Sussex pre-election period - guidance for elected members and local authority staff [252.8 KB] [pdf]
Electoral boundaries
The number of voters represented by each county councillor should be roughly the same in every electoral division.
Because resident numbers change, electoral arrangements are regularly reviewed by The Boundary Committee for England to make sure voters are fairly represented.
East Sussex County Council, Local Government Act 2000 The Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions) (England) Regulations 2011
We are required by law to publish how many signatures of registered voters are required on a petition, which would require the council to hold a referendum on changing its model of governance. This figure is known as the verification number.
- Notice of Verification Number 2025 [90.6 KB] [pdf]