Under the Reform Act 1832 the constituency was split into two two-member divisions, for Parliamentary purposes, at the 1832 general election.
Sussex contained nine boroughs: Arundel, Bramber, Chichester, East Grinstead, Horsham, Lewes, Midhurst, New Shoreham and Steyning; and four Cinque Ports: Hastings, Rye, Seaford and Winchelsea.
Two Members The county franchise, from 1430, was held by the adult male owners of freehold land valued at 40 shillings or more.
Votes had to be cast by a spoken declaration, in public, at the hustings, which took place in the county town of Chichester.
The expense and difficulty of voting at only one location in the county, together with the lack of a secret ballot contributed to the corruption and intimidation of electors, which was widespread in the unreformed British political system.