The Sussex Intelligence Unit’s (SIU) third data briefing asks whether the 2026 Sussex local elections strengthened democratic belonging — or exposed how uneven it still is.
The Sussex Intelligence Unit’s (SIU) third data briefing asks whether the 2026 Sussex local elections strengthened democratic belonging — or exposed how uneven it still is. The results redrew the political map: both East Sussex and West Sussex County Councils moved to no overall control, with significant gains for Reform, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens.
A rise in turnout, but not an even one
As our briefing explains, turnout rose by around 10 percentage points across Sussex divisions. West Sussex reached 47 per cent, up from 37 per cent in 2021 and well above the most recent national county average of 34.3 per cent. Voters were clearly paying attention — yet most registered voters still did not vote, and the gap between high-turnout and low-turnout places remained large. In Eastbourne alone, turnout ranged from 53 per cent in Meads to 35 per cent in Devonshire.
High-turnout areas often had strong local identity. Lower-turnout areas included several Reform-won divisions, suggesting that the party’s breakthrough may have drawn on concentrated disaffection as much as a surge in civic participation — a warning about democratic disconnection, not just a change in party preference.
Belonging cannot start at polling day
The Electoral Commission’s 2026 youth research found that 81 per cent of young people see living in a democracy as important, but only around 30 per cent of those aged 18 and under say they have learnt about politics at school or college. If the new Sussex and Brighton Strategic Authority is to mean anything to younger residents, democratic belonging has to be built through schools, colleges, local media and community organising — not just ballot papers.