Vote for nature 2026
By Charlotte Owen
Conservation Manager
Local elections are happening on 7 May and casting your vote is one of the most powerful ways to take action for nature in Sussex.
Your local councillors are the people who make the decisions about where you live and the wildlife on your doorstep - decisions like what gets built where and how to protect and improve local green spaces, as well as tackling the big issues like the nature and climate crises.
It's vital that these decisions are made with wildlife and local communities at their heart, so that our local councils are leading ambitious action across Sussex for nature and climate recovery - which is vital to every single one of us.
With elections happening for both East Sussex and West Sussex County Councils, everyone will have the opportunity to cast their vote on 7 May. Some areas are also electing District and Borough Councillors, so if you live in Adur, Worthing, Crawley or Hastings you've got an even bigger chance to make a difference by supporting candidates who will stand up for nature and champion nature’s recovery.
We’ve got six clear policy asks – why not see how your local candidates stack up against these?
The next few years are critical for nature in Sussex, and these elections will decide who's in charge of the next steps and how effective they will be.
We’re encouraging everyone to get involved and vote with nature in mind on 7 May, to help create a wilder Sussex - now and for generations to come.