Voters will likely go to the polls this year, with political pundits increasingly speculating that an election could be called for as early as May.

Now that we have crossed over into what is likely to be an election year, The Argus takes a look at the runners and riders across Sussex’s constituencies who have already announced they will stand as candidates.

Arundel and South Downs

The Conservatives comfortably held on to Arundel and South Downs at the last election, which saw Andrew Griffith enter Parliament with a majority of more than 22,000 votes.

Mr Griffith has yet to confirm whether he will defend his seat when voters next go to the polls and no other party has announced their candidate for the constituency at the time of publication.

Bexhill and Battle

Conservative MP and rail minister Huw Merriman increased his majority to 26,000 votes at the 2019 general election.

He has yet to confirm whether he will defend his seat when voters next go to the polls.

Only one party had confirmed their candidate for the constituency - Rob Mason for the Social Democratic Party (SDP). However, reference to Mr Mason has since been removed from the party’s website without explanation. The SDP has been approached for comment.

Bognor Regis and Littlehampton

Conservative MP Nick Gibb, who has represented the constituency since 1997, announced he will stand down at the next general election.

Although the Tories secured a more than 22,000 vote majority at the 2019 election, some election forecasts have predicted that Labour could be within 2,000 votes of winning the seat.

Reform UK, which has committed to stand candidates in every constituency in Great Britain, is the only party to confirm its candidate for the seat - Sandra Daniells.

Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven

The renamed constituency of Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven is currently represented by Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle, first elected in 2017.

In the 2019 election, his majority was slightly reduced to just over 8,000 votes over the Conservative Party.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle will defend his seat when voters next go to the polls and will face off against Liberal Democrat candidate Stewart Stone and SDP candidate Valerie Gray.

The Conservative Party and the Green Party have yet to announce their candidates for the seat.

Brighton Pavilion

At the last election in 2019, Green MP Caroline Lucas increased her majority for a third election in a row to almost 20,000 votes.

However, with Ms Lucas announcing she will stand down at the next election and a bruising defeat for the Greens at the local election in Brighton and Hove last year, Labour are hoping to win back the only Green seat in Parliament after more than a decade.

Music industry activist Tom Gray has been selected as Labour’s candidate for Brighton Pavilion, with former Green Party leader Sian Berry picked to defend the seat for the Green Party.

Two other candidates have announced they are also running in the constituency - Ashley Ridley for the Liberal Democrats and Carl Buckfield for the SDP.

The Conservative Party has yet to announce their candidate for the seat.

Chichester

Education secretary Gillian Keegan won in Chichester for the Conservatives at the last election with a majority of more than 21,000 votes at the last election.

However, following success for the Liberal Democrats at the local election in the city last year, voters could cause a Michael Portillo-style moment come election night.

Chichester District councillor Jess Brown-Fuller is hoping to become the city’s Liberal Democrat MP and will face off against Reform UK candidate Ben Cooper.

Ms Keegan has yet to confirm whether she will run for re-election and no other parties have announced their candidates at the time of publication.

Crawley

One of Sussex’s two bellwether constituencies, Crawley re-elected Conservative MP Henry Smith with a larger majority at the last election in 2019.

Labour, having come within 2,500 votes of winning the seat in 2017, is hopeful of victory in the seat for the first time since 1997, especially with the party’s roughly 20-point lead over the Conservatives in national polling.

Former Crawley Borough Council leader Peter Lamb has been selected as Labour’s candidate for the constituency and will face off against Conservative candidate Zack Ali, as Henry Smith has announced he will not stand for re-election.

Colin Thornback will contest the constituency for Reform UK.

The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have yet to confirm their candidates for Crawley.

East Grinstead and Uckfield

Mims Davies, the current MP for Mid Sussex, will stand as the Conservative candidate in this newly-created constituency following boundary changes.

Only one other party has picked their candidate for East Grinstead and Uckfield - the Green Party with Wealden councillor Christina Coleman.

East Worthing and Shoreham

Tim Loughton has been the Conservative MP for East Worthing and Shoreham since 1997, securing a majority of more than 7,000 votes at the last election in 2019.

However, the seat is a key target for Labour, with the party hopeful of turning the constituency red for the first time in its history.

Lambeth councillor Tom Rutland has been selected as Labour’s candidate for the constituency, while Tim Loughton has yet to confirm whether he will defend his seat at the next election.

The Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Reform UK have yet to announce who their candidates will be.

Eastbourne

Since 2010, Eastbourne has flipped between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats at every election.

In 2019, Conservative MP Caroline Ansell was elected with a majority of around 4,000 votes, returning to Parliament after her defeat in 2017 by just 1,609 votes.

Josh Barbarinde is hoping to flip Eastbourne back to the Liberal Democrats at the next election.

He will face off against Reform UK candidate Chris Mullens.

Caroline Ansell has yet to confirm whether she will run for re-election.

Labour and the Green Party have yet to announce their candidates for the constituency.

Hastings and Rye

Sussex’s other bellwether constituency saw Conservative MP Sally-Ann Hart elected with a majority of just over 4,000 votes at the last election.

With national polls giving Labour a large lead over the Conservatives, Labour candidate Helena Dollimore is hopeful of victory over Ms Hart, who is standing for re-election.

Sussex’s only Reform UK councillor Lucian Fernando is also running as a candidate in the constituency, along with the Green Party’s Becca Horn.

Horsham

First elected in 2015, Conservative MP Jeremy Quin was re-elected at the 2019 election with a majority of more than 21,000 votes.

Traditionally a Conservative stronghold, Horsham has elected a Tory MP since 1880, but election forecaster Electoral Calculus predicts that Labour could be less than 2,000 votes away from winning the constituency.

Jeremy Quin will fight for re-election against Liberal Democrat candidate John Milne.

Labour, the Green Party and Reform UK have yet to announce their candidates for Horsham.

Hove and Portslade

Labour MP and shadow science minister Peter Kyle was re-elected with a 17,000 vote majority at the last election.

Mr Kyle will stand for re-election in the renamed constituency and will face off against Liberal Democrat candidate Michael Wang and Reform UK candidate Martin Hess.

The Conservative Party and the Green Party have yet to announce their candidates for the constituency.

Lewes

Conservative MP Maria Caulfield was re-elected at the last general election in 2019 with a reduced majority of around 2,500 votes. Ms Caulfield has served as the MP for Lewes since 2015 after defeating Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker.

However, with the Conservatives’ support cratering in the opinion polls, the Liberal Democrats are hopeful of turning the seat yellow once again after almost a decade.

The party’s candidate, former Lewes District Council leader James MacCleary, is the only name so far announced in the race in the constituency, with Maria Caulfield yet to confirm if she will run for re-election.

Mid Sussex

The redrawn constituency following boundary changes is shaping up to be a three-way marginal, with election forecasters predicting a close race between the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

With incumbent MP Mims Davies standing as a candidate in East Grinstead and Uckfield, Kristy Adams is hoping to keep the constituency in Conservative hands.

After becoming the largest party on Mid Sussex District Council following the local elections last year, the Liberal Democrats are hopeful of electing their first MP in the constituency, with deputy council leader Alison Bennett picked as the party’s candidate.

Labour, the Green Party and Reform UK have yet to announce their candidates for Mid Sussex.

Sussex Weald

Formerly known as Wealden, Conservative MP Nus Ghani was re-elected with a majority of over 25,000 votes at the last general election.

Three candidates have been announced in this traditionally Conservative constituency; Oliver Honeyman for the Liberal Democrats, Rachel Millward for the Green Party and Stephen Gander for the SDP.

Nus Ghani, who has been the MP for the constituency since 2015, has yet to announce if she will stand for re-election.

Labour has also not yet confirmed who its candidate will be.

Worthing West

Currently represented by Conservative Sir Peter Bottomley, the Father of the House of Commons, Labour is hopeful of winning the constituency for the first time.

Sir Peter, who has served as the MP for Worthing West since 1997, is standing for re-election and will face off against Worthing Borough Council leader Beccy Cooper, who is running in the constituency for the third time, for Labour.

Reform UK is the only other party to confirm its candidate for the next election, with Edmund Rooke standing for the party.