Area down a lot makes changes to use assets before vote (4,6)
I believe the answer is:
east sussex
'area down a lot' is the definition.
(the South Downs are partly located in East Sussex)
'changes to use assets before vote' is the wordplay.
'changes to' is an anagram indicator (I've seen 'change to' mean this).
'before' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'vote' becomes 'x' (how votes are marked).
'use'+'assets'='useassets'
'useassets' anagrammed gives 'eastsusse'.
'eastsusse'+'x'='EAST SUSSEX'
'makes' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for east sussex that I've seen before include "English Channel county" , "area that's down a lot" .)