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Schedule of Public Elections in West Sussex

Voters and campaigners can use this document to find out when elections in West Sussex are likely to take place.

European Elections

European Parliamentary elections are held every five years in 2004, 2009 etc. These elections are usually held on the second Thursday in June, although the European Parliament makes the decision nearer the time.

General Elections

Parliamentary elections have to be held within a five year period of the last one. They can be called at any time by the Prime Minister. The last General election was held on 5th May 2005. Parliamentary elections are usually held in May and often take place on the same day as a set of local elections.

Borough and District Elections

Local council elections are usually held on the first Thursday in May, but the pattern (frequency of elections and proportion of Council each time) varies between councils.

  • Adur District Council: Half the Council every even year for a term of 4 years
  • Arun District Council: whole Council every 4 years, 2003, 2007 etc
  • Chichester District Council: whole Council every 4 years, 2003, 2007 etc
  • Crawley Borough Council: one third of the Council is elected every year (except when there is a County Council election) for 4 years but, as the Borough has a mixture (as at May 2006) of two and three member wards, not all wards have an election some years. For example, in 2006, Gossops Green, Three Bridges and Tilgate wards did not have elections.
  • Horsham District Council: whole Council every 4 years, 2003, 2007 etc
  • Mid Sussex District Council: whole Council every 4 years, 2003, 2007 etc.
  • Worthing Borough Council: one third of the Council is elected every year (except when there is a County Council election) for 4 years

County Council Elections

West Sussex County Council: whole council every 4 years, 2005, 2009 etc. There are 62 electoral divisions, eight of which are represented by two members giving a total of 70 elected members. You will note that the next European election is due in 2009, probably on the second Thursday in June and that the next County Council elections are due on the first Thursday in May 2009. It is possible that the Government will postpone the County Council elections to hold them on the same day as the Euro election.

For information about who is allowed to vote please read the Electoral Commission publication Who Can Vote?

Based on a document written by Anthony Tuffin 21 May 2006.