After weeks on the campaign trail last week’s election saw a new wave of MPs and councillors selected by voters across Sussex. FLORA THOMPSON looks back at some of the most memorable political pictures in The Argus archives.

Smug smiles, tears of joy, rapturous cheers, a huge sigh of relief and, inevitably, disappointment.

Election night never fails to bring out a tide of emotions – some of which have been captured across Sussex over the years by The Argus.

A smiling campaign volunteer stands by posters for Robert Buckley who was standing for the Liberal Democrats in the 1950s. He came third to Conservative winner Howard Johnson, and runner up to Labour’s J T Huddart.

The Conservatives took to the floor in the late 1950s during a General Election meeting for the Brighton Pavilion seat with candidate William Teeling.

In the 1960s crowds, flanked by policemen, gathered outside Worthing Town Hall in Chapel Road as the election results were announced from a balcony in the 1960s.

Victorious Conservative Andrew Bowden and Julian Amery shared a grin at the Brighton Dome in 1987 when he regained the Brighton Kemptown seat. Another picture shows jubilation and shock at the 1987 count where the results were announced. Mr Bowden first entered the House of Commons on his fourth attempt in 1970 by winning the seat from the Labour Party.

The Labour Party was out in force though during their campaign that year.

Bob Dobbs of the Free Party turned heads with a large mask as he contested the Brighton Pavilion seat in 2001.

In recent years many of The Argus’ most memorable campaign pictures were taken by former chief photographer Simon Dack, who followed the candidates through the trials and tribulations of election night for a number of years. He captured the returning Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie catching the attention of onlookers as they left Hove on an open top bus after a visit to Hangleton Library in the same year, when he won a second landslide victory for Labour.

Caroline Lucas cheered with her husband Richard at the Brighton Centre during her historic Green Party victory at the Brighton Pavilion constituency in 2010.

During the same election campaign Dave Hill, of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition Party, was mistaken for famous nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow while canvassing in the Kemptown constituency.