The Church Electoral Roll
What is the Church Electoral Roll?
In the Church of England, it is a parish’s register of electors; it is the list of those qualified to vote at the annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) where the elections take place for The Parochial Church Council (The PCC), and the parish’s representatives on the Deanery Synod.
The Electoral Roll is also our membership list, the number we can count upon as committed members of our Parish.
The more formal information: The Church Electoral Roll must be accurately kept. To achieve accuracy the roll is revised annually, and the new Roll is reported at the APCM. The Roll is used to determine eligibility for attendance and participation at the annual parochial church meeting and for election to the parochial church council. It is also used to determine eligibility for election to the deanery, diocesan and general synods. In addition, it is used for the calculation of the number of representatives who may be elected to each of these synods in the following year.
Every sixth year, instead of a revision, a completely new Roll has to be prepared.
In 2025 it will be necessary to prepare a new roll.
Why do we want you to complete a form?
- Being a member of the electoral roll gives you the opportunity to have your say. This will include giving you a vote at the APCM. You are not on the electoral roll unless you complete a form.
- It allows us to maintain our records accurately.
- The number of people on the roll makes no difference to the amount the Parish pays the Diocese.
The answers to frequently asked questions:
1. Who is the Electoral Roll for?
The Church Electoral Roll is for lay persons only. Church Readers are lay persons licensed to the Parish and are eligible for inclusion. Retired clergy are still clergy and therefore not eligible for inclusion.
2. Who can be included on the Roll?
To be entitled to be included on the Roll a lay person must be:
a. Baptised
b. over 16 years of age on or before the date of the annual parochial church meeting.
c. either – a member of the Church of England, or a Church in Communion with the Church of England, and resident in the parish.
or – a member of the Church of England, or a Church in communion with the Church of England, and resident in another parish, but habitually attending worship in the chosen parish for at least 6 months prior to enrolment (unless prevented from doing so by illness or other sufficient cause).
or – a member of a Church subscribing to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, such as all member Churches and extra-provincial dioceses of the Anglican Communion, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, URC, etc (in other words, most mainstream Christian churches but not, for example, Unitarians or Jehovah’s Witnesses) and prepared to declare themselves a member of the Church of England, and having habitually attended worship in the chosen parish for at least 6 months prior to enrolment.
d. A person must also have signed and returned an application form for enrolment to the electoral roll officer.
3. Can I be on more than one Electoral Roll?
A person can be on the Roll of several parishes or cathedrals if fulfilling the above criteria, but can only use one parish for the purposes of membership of the PCC, elections to synods, etc.
4. When can I add my name to the Roll?
Names can be added to or removed from the Roll during the course of the year, except between the completion of the Roll and the close of the APCM.
5. I live in the parish; will I automatically be on the Roll?
Living in the parish will not automatically add your name to the church electoral roll.
6. I attend services at St Peter & St Paul regularly; will I automatically be on the Roll?
Coming to church regularly or giving regularly will not automatically add your name to the church electoral roll.
7. How do I add my name to the Roll?
You can only be added to the church electoral roll if you complete, sign and return an application form to the electoral roll officer.
8. How can I remove my name from the Roll?
You can be removed from the electoral roll by writing to the electoral roll officer.
9. Where do I get an application form?
Application Forms are available on the information table located at the back of the church in the north aisle or can be downloaded below:
