What is the Electoral Roll?

The church’s Electoral Roll is the register of its voting members; it is a list of those qualified to attend and to vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. Electoral rolls provide an indication of the real membership and strength of the church. This is different from being on the database of St John’s - it is the formal way of belonging to St John’s as part of the wider Anglican Church and enables you to vote at the annual meeting.

Who can be on the Electoral Roll?

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.

To be entitled to be included on the Roll a lay person must be:

  • Baptised

  • be over 16 years of age on or before the date of the annual parochial church meeting.

  • 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.

  • A person must also have signed and returned an application form for enrolment to the electoral roll officer.

Why Join?

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 also helps us to maintain our records accurately. NB: The number of people on the roll makes no difference to the amount the Parish pays the Diocese.

How do I get my name added to the Electoral Roll?

You can only be added to the electoral roll if you complete the online form or download and complete the Electoral Roll Application Form, sign it and return it to the Electoral Roll Officer via the Church Office.

St John’s Electoral Roll Officer

How can I check if I am already on the Electoral Roll?

You can check if you are on the Electoral Roll via your My ChurchSuite account under ‘My Details’. The Church also publishes a list, which can be found at the back of the church, or here (Oct 2020). When you sign up to the Electoral Roll, you are consenting for us to display your name for the purpose of the Electoral Roll.

Frequently Asked Questions

Once my name is on the Electoral Roll, how long will it stay there?

The electoral roll is revised annually with minor amendments such as a change of address. However, to ensure that its contents remain substantially correct, every sixth year a new electoral roll is created from scratch and all potential members need to re-apply to have their name added to the new roll. This process will next happen in 2025.

How do I get my name removed from the Electoral Roll?

You can be removed from the electoral roll by emailing or writing to the Electoral Roll Officer.

When is the Electoral Roll done?

Names can be added to or removed from the Roll during the course of the year, except during the short time interval between the completion of the Electoral Roll and the close of the APCM. A new Electoral Roll is done every six years and all those on the previous roll are informed so that they can reapply. If you are not resident in the parish but were on the roll as an habitual worshipper and have been prevented by sickness or absence or other essential reason from worshipping for the past six months, please let us know.

Can I be on more than one Electoral Roll?

A person can be on the Roll of several parishes if fulfilling the above criteria, but can only use one parish for the purposes of membership of the PCC, elections to synods, etc.

If I live in the Parish, won’t my name be automatically added to the Electoral Roll?

Living in the parish will not automatically add you to the electoral roll.

If I already attend St John’s Church regularly, won’t my name be automatically added to the Electoral Roll?

Coming to church regularly or giving regularly will not automatically add you to the electoral roll.