Brighton’s Queen’s Park by-election: first deadline 8 September

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-28 12:47 2 min read

The iconic Brighton Palace Pier entrance sign under a cloudy English sky.

Queen’s Park residents can vote in the ward’s by-election on Thursday 24 September 2026, with designated polling stations open from 7am to 10pm. Voting is free, but residents must live in Queen’s Park ward and be registered by midnight on Tuesday 8 September.

The election will choose one new ward councillor following the resignation of Milla Gauge. Brighton and Hove City Council has confirmed the date, candidates and application deadlines for alternative voting arrangements.

Five candidates will contest the Queen’s Park seat

Registered voters will elect one councillor from the following confirmed candidates:

Brighton’s Queen’s Park by-election: first deadline 8 September

Rudi Dikty-Daudiyan — Liberal Democrats
Steve Gladwin — Labour Party
John Shepherd — Reform UK
Stefan Sönke Speckesser — Conservative and Unionist Party
Mark Strong — Green Party

The council’s announcement confirms the candidate list but does not include further information about their campaigns.

Check the deadline for your voting arrangement

Residents who are not registered, or who have recently moved to a new address, must register to vote by the first deadline below. Those unable to reach their polling station can apply for a postal vote or nominate a trusted person to vote on their behalf using a proxy vote.

Action	Confirmed deadline
Register to vote	Midnight, Tuesday 8 September
Apply for a postal vote	5pm, Wednesday 9 September
Change an existing proxy arrangement	5pm, Wednesday 9 September
Apply for a new proxy vote	5pm, Wednesday 16 September
Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate	5pm, Wednesday 16 September
Vote at a polling station	7am–10pm, Thursday 24 September

These cut-off points are separate: missing the postal-vote deadline does not extend the period for that application, while new proxy applications remain open until the following Wednesday.

Bring photo ID when voting in person

Anyone voting at a polling station must bring an accepted form of photo identification. Brighton and Hove City Council directs residents to its voter ID guidance for the full list of accepted documents.

Voters without valid photo ID can apply online for a free Voter Authority Certificate. The council must receive the application by 5pm on Wednesday 16 September for the certificate to be used in this by-election.

Individual polling-station addresses, transport information and accessibility arrangements are not included in the announcement. Voters must attend their designated polling station within Queen’s Park ward rather than choosing another location.

The confirmed information and further election guidance are available from Brighton and Hove City Council. Residents who still need to register should complete that step by midnight on 8 September before considering postal, proxy or voter-ID arrangements.

Source: Brighton and Hove City Council

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source trail

The election date, candidate affiliations and voter deadlines were drawn directly from Brighton and Hove City Council’s notice dated 28 August 2026.

Checks

Confirmed polling day as 24 September 2026, with voting from 7am to 10pm.
Matched all five candidates with the parties listed in the council notice.
Checked the registration, postal vote, proxy vote and Voter Authority Certificate deadline...
Confirmed that photo ID is required for voting at a polling station.

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