Local elections for Brighton & Hove City Council

When are local council elections and how to stand as a councillor.

Local elections for councillors are scheduled to take place every four years. The most recent city-wide local election for Brighton & Hove took place in May 2023.

By-elections

We hold a by-election when there is a vacancy for a local councillor. The most recent By-elections were:

Standing as a councillor for Brighton & Hove City Council

To stand as a councillor you must be:

  • Age 18 years or over.
  • A British citizen, an qualifying Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of any other member state of the European Union.
  • Meet at least one of the four qualifications below.

1. You are, and will continue to be, registered as a local government elector in Brighton & Hove
2. You have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in Brighton & Hove during the whole of the preceding 12 months
3. Your main or only place of work during the 12 months has been in Brighton & Hove
4. You have lived in Brighton & Hove during the whole of the preceding 12 months

If you are want to stand as a councillor or will be act as an agent of a candidate or party at the council elections, the best source of information is the Electoral Commission's website.

You and your campaigners should also look at the Electoral Commission's Code of Conduct for Campaigners, which outlines what is, and isn't allowed at polling stations and in the community in the lead-up to polling day.

Nominations

To be a validly nominated candidate, you needed to submit a completed set of nomination forms to the Returning Officer by the deadline for the election. Nomination packs will be available from the Electoral Services team.