What is the Church Electoral Roll?
It is a list of lay members of the church who are eligible and have asked to be on it. Those included have certain rights, including electing members of the PCC. For those who are not resident in the parish inclusion on the electoral roll will also give them certain rights which all those resident in the parish have.
Who is eligible to be included?
Under the Church Representation Rules (Rule 1(2)) a lay person is entitled to have his or her name entered on the Roll, if he or she –
- is baptized and aged 16 or over;
- has made one of the following three declarations;
- the person is a member of the Church of England or of a Church in communion with it, and is resident in the parish;
- the person is a member of the Church of England or of a Church in communion with it, is not resident in the parish andhas habitually attended public worship in the parish during the preceding six months;
- the person is a member in good standing of a Church which is not in communion with the Church of England but subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, is also a member of the Church of England, and has habitually attended public worship in the parish during the preceding six months;
- has duly applied for enrolment on the appropriate form.
A person who will become 16 before the date of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting but after the revision of the roll or preparation of a new roll may apply before their 16th birthday and their entrolment will take effect on their birthday.
The Electoral Roll Officer
The rules require the PCC to appoint an Electoral Roll Officer to act under its direction for the purpose of carrying out its functions with regard to the church electoral roll. The Electoral Roll officer has charge of the roll and must keep it up to date in accordance with the rules. (CRR rule M21). Our Electoral Roll Officer is Mrs Michelle Pass.
Applications to join and removals from roll
Application to join the roll may be made at any time (except for the period before the Annual Meeting referred to in the sections on revision of the roll and preparation of the roll). There is a form which needs to be completed and signed and should be delivered to the Electoral Roll Officer. (CRR rule 1 & Form 1)
Such additions shall be notified by the Electoral Roll Officer to the next meeting of the PCC and a list of the names added must be made available for inspectiojn on reasonable request. (CRR rule 2)
There is no provision for the removal of a person’s name other than during the annual revision of the roll.
Preparation of new Roll
A new roll has to be prepared every 6 years, the next new roll is due in 2025 (CRR rule 6).
The preparation of the new roll has to be completed between 15 and 28 days prior to the date of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (CRR rule 6(3)). No names can be added or removed (other than to correct errors) in the 14 days beginning with the day on which the roll is published (CRR rule 8(4)). This does not appear to prevent the addition of names between the end of that period and the beginning of the APCM.
At least 2 months before the date of the APCM notice has to given of the preparation of the new roll. That notice has to be displayed on or near the church door and shall remain displayed for at least 14 days. At every Sunday service in those 14 days the person conducting the service shall inform the congregation of the preparation of the new roll. (CRR rule 6)
Reasonable steps shall be taken to inform those whose names are on the existing roll (other than those whose names would be removed were the roll being revised) of the preparation of the new roll and that if they wish to be on the new roll they must apply for enrolment. (CRR rule 7)
Those who wish to be on the new roll must apply in writing on the appropriate form. A person who was on the previous roll by reason of being a habitual worshipper (or who would now need to use that reason as they have ceased to be resident) but who has been prevented from habitually worshipping by illness or other sufficient cause should specify the circumstances on the application form and may then be included. The preparation of the new roll must be completed between 15 and 28 days prior to the date of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. (CRR rule 7)
After the competion of the new roll a copy shall be published in such form (whether electronic or otherwise) as the PCC decides for at least 14 days, and a copy of the roll mut be made availabe for inspection, on a reasonable request being made. The roll as published and made available for inspection must include every name entered on the roll but no other personal data. The new roll takes effect on its publication. (CRR rule 8)
Revision of the Roll
In every year when a new roll does not have to be prepared the roll has to be revised (CRR rule 3(1)).
The revision has to be completed between 15 and 28 days prior to the date of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. (CRR rule 4(10)) No names can be added or removed (other than to correct errors) between the completion of the revision and the end of the APCM. (CRR rule 5(4))
Notice has to be given by a notice on or near the church door at least 14 days before the commencement of the revision. The rules are silent as to the period between the commencement and completion of the revision and there is nothing to prevent applications being received before the commencement date. (CRR rule 3)
On revision every addition to the roll since the previous revision (or, if there has not yet been a revision of the roll, since the formation of the roll) must be reviewed and any further additions must be made as necessary (CRR rule 4).
A person’s name shall be removed from the roll in the following cases (CRR rule 4):
- where the person has died;
- where the person has become a clerk in Holy Orders;
- where the person has stated in writing the wish to have his or her name removed;
- where the person was not entitled to have his or her name entered on the roll at the time it was entered;
- where the person –
- has ceased to reside in the parish,
- has not continued to habitually attend public worship in the parish during any period of six months, and
- has not been prevented from doing so by illness or other sufficient cause;
- where the person –
- is not resident in the parish,
- has not continued to habitually attend public worship in the parish during any period of six months, and
- has not been prevented from doing so by illness or other sufficient cause.
A person’s name shall not be removed on grounds 4, 5 or 6 unless the PCC has taken reasonable steps to establish the relevant facts. (CRR rule 4(8))
After the competion of the revision a copy of the roll shall be published in such form (whether electronic or otherwise) as the PCC decides for at least 14 days, and a copy of the roll mut be made availabe for inspection, on a reasonable request being made. The roll as published and made available for inspection must include every name entered on the roll but no other personal data. The new roll takes effect on its publication. (CRR rule 5)
Numbers on the Roll
The number of names on the church electoral roll affects various matters, including the number of representatives to be elected to Deanery Synod. Notice of the number of names on the roll as at the date of the APCM has to be given to the secretary of the Diocesan Synod. (CRR rule 10)
CRR is the Church Representation Rules, which are available online at https://www.churchofengland.org/more/policy-and-thinking/church-representation-rules/church-representation-rules-online-contents.
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