Membership of the Church Electoral Roll is open to baptised members of the Church of England or of a church in communion with the Church of England who are at least 16 years old and are either resident in the parish or have habitually attended worship in the parish within the previous six months.
Only those on the roll are entitled to attend and vote at the Annual Parochial Church meeting.
A new roll is prepared every six years and those on the previous roll need to apply again if they wish to be on the new roll. In other years it is revised and new names can be added and those who have died or moved away can be removed The last new roll was prepared in 2019 and so a new roll has to be prepared this year.
A new Church Electoral Roll is being prepared this year which will replace the previous one. Anyone who wishes to be included in it must submit a completed application form by the deadline of Monday 21st April, whether they are on the existing roll or not.
What is the Church Electoral Roll?
It is a list of lay members of the church in this parish 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 some other rights which residents of the parish have.
Is it the same as the Civic Electoral Roll?
No. The civic roll is maintained by the District Council and is used in local government and parliamentary elections. The Church Electoral Roll is maintained by the church and is used in church elections and for other reasons.
Do I have to be baptised to be included in the Church Electoral Roll?
Yes. Only lay people (not clergy) who are baptised can be included.
How old do I have to be?
You must be at least 16 years old. If your 16th birthday is after the deadline but before the date of the APCM you can be included from your birthday but need to submit the application before the deadline.
Do I have to live in the parish?
No, although the rules are different for those who do not live in the parish. For those who live in the parish the only other requirement is that they are members of the Church of England (or a church in communion with it, which are other Anglican Churches and certain foreign Churches). For those who are not resident in the parish they also have to have habitually attended public worship in the parish during the preceding six months.
What is the parish?
For the purpose of the Church Electoral Roll the parish means the ecclesiastical parish of Pattingham with Patshull. That includes all of the civil parish of Pattingham and Patshull but also Rudge and part of Shropshire north of the civil parish. The boundary can be found on the church website.
What about members of churches other than the Church of England?
Those who are members of other churches who are also prepared to state that they are members of the Church of England can be included if they have habitually attended public worship in the parish during the preceding six months.
I am already on the Roll. Do I need to apply again?
Yes. Every six years a new roll is prepared and no names are carried over from the old roll.
I am not resident in the parish but have not been able to attend church in the last six months. Can I still be on the roll?
If you are on the old roll and have been prevented by illness or other sufficient cause from worshipping for the past six months you can join the new roll by completing the alternative declaration at 2D or 2E on the form giving the reason. If you are not on the old roll then you cannot be included.
Can I be on the roll of more than one parish?
Yes if you qualify for both or all of them. However you must choose one to qualify as a member of a PCC or Deanery Synod.
Does it matter if I am not on the Church Electoral Roll?
The simple answer is no unless you want to vote at the APCM, join the PCC, become a sidesperson or exercise any of the other rights which it gives (such as burial in the churchyard if not resident in the parish). However the number on the roll does help the Church show its strength. The number of representatives the parish has on the Deanery Synod depends on the number on the roll.
How do I apply?
Application forms are available at the back of the church and can be downloaded from the website. Completed forms should be placed in the box at the back of the church or sent or emailed to the Church Electoral Roll Officer, Michelle Pass. To be eligible to vote at the APCM they must be received by Monday 21st April.
The Electoral Roll Officer is
Michelle Pass, Church View Barn, Westbeech Farm, Westbeech Road, Pattingham. WV6 7HF–telephone 01902 700466 – email:
To download a copy of an application form click here.
To be able to vote at the 2025 APCM the completed application must be received by Monday 21st April.