- Held on the third Friday in October, the Mayor’s Election prides itself on being completely and openly corrupt – whichever candidate buys the most votes is declared the winner and elected as the next Mayor of The Independent State of Cuckfield.
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- Votes cost 1 penny each
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Fund raising (aka getting in the votes) in 2020 and 2021 was somewhat muted event due to the pandemic but traditions continued with Iain Pringle being elected as the 54th Mayor of the Independent State of Cuckfield, before being narrowly beaten a year later in October 2021 when Andrew Leask became our 55th holder of the office.
Why not run for Mayor yourself?
- Candidates do not have produce birth certificates or be natural-born citizens. The only rule is that they must have some involvement with Cuckfield though residency, work, or social connection.
- They are usually (but need not be) associated with one of the Cuckfield pubs, but they can also be linked to one or more other Cuckfield organisations such as the Dramatic Society or The Singing Allsorts!
- To stand as a mayoral candidate, or to find out more about ISOC, contact the chairman.
- Candidates can raise funds to buy votes by any means, and candidates have come up with many imaginative methods and often raise considerable sums to go towards those much-needed votes on election night.
For example
- Auctions and raffles for fantastic prizes generously donated by many companies and individuals
- Parachute jumps
- Garden parties
- Spectacular music nights and star studded concerts
- Sponsored bike ride and rowing events
- Race nights
- Quizzes
The Count
- The election and count and results are the highlight of the ISOC year.
- The count is hosted by a Cuckfield Pub on a rotating basis, with a buffet to accompany the traditional drinking (campaigning is thirsty work!) as the candidates’ totals move upwards…
- See our facebook page for details of which pub will host the next count.
- There is a tradition that candidates keep their votes discrete and so as the evening progresses more “votes” are remembered and totals rise just before the deadline and a winner is declared.
- Voting now ends at 9:55pm, usually with a late flurry of votes before the winner is announced just after 10pm.
- The candidate with the most votes is declared the winner and elected as the next Mayor of Cuckfield.
- Entertainment on election nights has featured discos, quizzes and live bands, especially The New City Jazzmen during the 60s, 70s & 80s, and The Buffaloes during the Noughties
- The current Mayor stands for re-election at the end of their year in office, however only two Mayors, George Stevenson and Ted Murphy have won consecutive elections, and both of these were back in the 1970s.
The Mayor’s Procession
The Saturday morning after election night sees the The Mayor’s Procession (run by the Independent State of Cuckfield in conjunction with Cuckfield Parish Council). Do you want to take part? (It pays to do so!)
- The procession sets off at 2:30pm from Warden Park School and travels up London Lane and London Road to Brainsmead, where it turns around and goes back down London Road and the High Street to turn around again in Ockenden Lane before parking up in the High Street at about 3pm outside the Talbot. (At about 5pm it returns to Warden Park.)
- The new Mayor is welcomed by the Sheriff of Cuckfield, traditionally the landlord of The Talbot, and is presented with the Keys of Cuckfield, plus a celebratory drink, before making an acceptance speech to their gathered subjects massed in the High Street
- Before leaving Warden Park, all the procession entrants are judged, and rosettes are awarded to the organisations that come first, second and third, with each of these organisations also receiving a cash prize from the Independent State of Cuckfield
- Every organisation that takes part in the procession receives a donation from the Independent State of Cuckfield, from the total raised by all the candidates at that year’s Mayor’s Election.
Join The Procession
After the election of the new Mayor the annual Procession through Cuckfield celebrates the winning candidate and the Independent State!
ISOC is delighted to invite all local organisations to take part.
- For full details and an application form see here: Procession Invite
Remember ALL participating organisations receive a donation from the Independent State of Cuckfield!
We look forward to seeing the creativity and ingenuity of your entry, which can come in any shape or size and doesn’t have to be mechanised; how about wheelbarrows, bicycles, scooters, or just walking with the dog – anything and
anyone can be decorated to join the procession!
Previous Mayors
Since the first election in 1966, many Publicans and other upstanding members of the Cuckfield community have won the election to be Mayor of Cuckfield.
- Over the years many fantastic people have allowed themselves to be entered into the race to become Mayor, and one or two have succumbed to a little arm twisting!
Notable previous Mayors include:
- Peter Bowring’s wife Phyl, who was the driving force of the Independent State for many years
- Phyl & Peter’s son Mike Bowring
- The only 4 time winner to date is Ken Gregory
- Two time winners George Stevenson, Ted Murphy & Babs Talman
- Publicans representing all of the Cuckfield pubs: Rose & Crown (Babs Talman), Wheatsheaf (Edger Dudley, Rob Helliwell), Talbot (Diane Goodchild), White Harte (Joe Mitchell, Christine Murphy) plus the now closed Kings Head (Ted Murphy, Martin Lindley, Jackie Young), Ansty Cross (Keith Randall) and Ship (Vicky Parke)
- There have also been several related Mayors, including Mother & Son, Father & Son, Husband & Wife (3 times!), Father & Daughter, Uncle & Nephew, First Cousins, Partners, Sister-in-Law & Brother-in-Law.
- The 2006 and 2016 Mayor’s Elections marked the 40th and 50th anniversaries of both the Independent State of Cuckfield and the election. In recognition of these major milestones, 40 candidates stood for election in 2006 with Henry O’Donohue emerging as the victor, and 50 candidates stood in the 2016 election with Wilf Knighton taking the robes on that occasion. Here’s to 60 candidates in 2026!