Download The Church ELECTORAL ROLL - Diocese of Lincoln

The Church
ELECTORAL ROLL
A practical guide
December 2012
www.lincoln.anglican.org
Introduction
From the Bishop of Lincoln
One of the many great strengths of the Church of England is its system of governance,
from the parish level to General Synod. At the parish level, the Electoral Roll ensures
that members of a church can shape the local mission and ministry by electing the
officers necessary to do that hard work.
Being on the Church Electoral Roll is not a prerequisite of membership of a particular
church, but it does demonstrate a willingness and intention to help shape the future
of the Church, not just locally, but nationally and even internationally.
Please do encourage members of your church to enrol, and to take a full part in the
important administrative work of the Church, as well as its mission and ministry.
What is the Electoral Roll?
Church Representation Rules:
The Church Electoral Roll is the foundation of the structure of the Church of
England’s synodical government.
Rule 1
Every parish must have an Electoral Roll, which must be available for inspection by
bona fide inquirers. The Electoral Roll is the register of electors for a parish. In the
same way that being on the civic Electoral Roll allows members of that roll to vote
in parliamentary and local elections and referenda, joining the Church Electoral Roll
means that people can vote on Church matters, attend the Annual Parochial Church
Meeting (APCM) and stand for election to the Parochial Church Council (PCC).
Church Representation Rules
in full, visit: dioce.se/crr
Being on the Electoral Roll does not make a person a member of the Church; simply
regarding a particular parish church as one’s spiritual home does that. In fact, a
condition of joining a Church Electoral Roll is that the person is already a member
of that Church.
Preparation of a new Electoral Roll
Church Representation Rules:
Every six years, every parish is required by law to prepare a new Electoral Roll, and
the next time this will be necessary is in 2013. There are several steps to achieving
this.
Rule 2 (1)
First, a notice (see Appendix, form A) must be displayed on or near the main door of
every Church of England church in a parish at least two months before the parish’s
Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) (which must take place before 30 April
each year), and must be displayed for at least 14 days. Once the notice is displayed,
the preparation of the new Electoral Roll begins.
Rule 2 (4)
During the 14-day period (or longer), whoever is presiding over the Sunday services
at the church must announce to the congregation that a new Electoral Roll is being
prepared. If no Sunday service is held in the 14-day period the announcement must
be made at the first Sunday service thereafter.
Rule 2 (5)
Secondly, the Parochial Church Council (PCC) must take every reasonable effort
to ensure that all those on the most recent Electoral Roll are informed of the
preparation of a new Roll. A judgement needs to be made by the PCC as to whether
everyone listed on the most recent Electoral Roll needs to be contacted, eg anyone
who has moved away from the parish and no longer worships regularly at a church
should be regarded as no longer qualifying. Anyone who was on the previous Roll,
and has since been ordained, is also ineligible to be on the Electoral Roll.
Rule 2 (6)
Inclusion in a new Electoral Roll is not automatic. Everyone must apply to be
included, even if they already on the existing Electoral Roll, and new people can
be included at this stage. This is a good opportunity for parishes to stress the
importance of synodical governance, and the part that people listed on Electoral
Rolls can play in the life of the Church.
So, thirdly, people apply to be listed on the Electoral Roll by completing an
Application for Enrolment form (see Appendix, form C). Forms must be returned to
the local Electoral Roll officer on a fixed date between 15 and 28 days before the
APCM. That date should be clearly stated and advertised in the parish.
Rule 2 (7)
Once the new Electoral Roll is complete, a copy must be displayed and available
for inspection on or near the main door of the parish church for at least 14 days
before the APCM. This allows a period of time for corrections to be made, such as
the spelling of names or errors in addresses. Names may not be added or removed
during this period, but only after the APCM.
Church Representation Rules
in full, visit: dioce.se/crr
New Electoral Rolls will be prepared in 2013, 2019 and 2025.
Who can be on the Electoral Roll?
Church Representation Rules:
Rule 1 (2)
Church Representation Rules
in full, visit: dioce.se/crr
A person may be on the parish Electoral Roll if they meet all of the following criteria:
1. They are a lay person
2. They have been baptised
3. They are one of the following:
a) a member of the Church of England
b) a member of a Church in communion with the Church of England
c) a member in good standing of a Church which subscribes to the doctrine of
the Holy Trinity (not being in communion with the Church of England) and
also prepared to declare him- or herself to be a member of the Church of
England having habitually attended public worship during the six months
prior to enrolment
4. They are at least 16 years of age
5. They are resident in the parish, or if not resident in the parish, have habitually
attended public worship in the parish during a six month period prior to enrolment
6. They have completed an Application for Enrolment form
What next?
Church Representation Rules:
Rule 2 (7)
Church Representation Rules
in full, visit: dioce.se/crr
All necessary forms are attached to this document, and can be downloaded from
the Diocese of Lincoln website at dioce.se/electoralroll
The Electoral Roll Certificate should be posted on or near the main door of the
church, and a copy also signed and returned to the Diocese of Lincoln’s Electoral
Registration Officer immediately after the ACPM:
The Electoral Registration Officer
The Diocese of Lincoln
Edward King House
Minster Yard
Lincoln
LN2 1PU
Annual Revision of the Electoral Roll
Church Representation Rules:
Rule 2 (1)
A new Electoral Roll is prepared every six years. New Electoral Rolls will be prepared
in 2013.
Between these renewals, the Electoral Roll is revised annually. A notice (see
Appendix, form B) announcing this revision must be displayed on or near the main
church door for at least 14 days before the revision begins. Only those who have
moved into the parish, or who have joined the church, or who have reached the
age of 16 since the previous Electoral Roll revision (or the six-yearly creation of the
new roll), need fill in an application form.
The revision must be completed not less than 15 days and not more than 28 days
before the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) (which must take place before
30 April).
Once the revision is complete, the revised Electoral Roll and a list of names removed
from the Electoral Roll (if any) must be displayed on or near the main church door
for at least 14 days prior to the APCM. During this period, corrections may be
made. However, no names may be added or removed between the time that the
revised roll is complete and the close of the APCM.
Church Representation Rules
in full, visit: dioce.se/crr
A copy of the Electoral Roll should be signed and returned to the Diocese of Lincoln’s
Electoral Registration Officer immediately after the ACPM:
The Electoral Registration Officer
The Diocese of Lincoln
Edward King House
Minster Yard
Lincoln
LN2 1PU
Need further guidance?
For further guidance, please contact:
Will Harrison, Electoral Registration Officer
[email protected]
01522 504033
A
Parish of ........................................................................................
PREPARATION OF NEW ELECTORAL ROLL
* Note –
The new roll must be
completed not less than
15 days or more than
28 days before the Annual Parochial Church
Meeting.
Notice is hereby given
that under the Church Representation Rules a new Church Electoral Roll is being
prepared. All persons who wish to have their names entered on the new Roll, whether
their names are entered on the present Roll or not, are requested to apply for enrolment
not later than
_____________________________________________________
The new Roll will come into operation on
_____________________________________________________
The new Roll shall be published for not less than 14 days. Forms of application for
enrolment can be obtained from the undersigned. In order to be entitled to attend the
annual parochial church meeting and to take part in its proceedings, forms of application
for enrolment must be returned by the earlier of the dates shown above.
Under the Church Representation Rules any persons are entitled to have their names
entered on the roll if they —
(i) are baptised and aged 16 or over;
(ii) have signed a form of application for enrolment;
and either
(iii) are members of the Church of England or of any Church in communion with the
Church of England being resident in the parish or (not being resident in the parish)
having habitually attended public worship in the parish during the six months prior to
the application for enrolment;
or;
(iv) are members in good standing of a Church (not in communion with the Church of
England) which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity declaring themselves also
to be members of the Church of England and having habitually attended public worship
in the parish during the period of six months prior to enrolment.
Any error discovered in the roll should at once be reported to the undersigned.
Dated this ____________________ day of ___________________ 20_____
Signed ________________________________________________________________
Church Electoral Roll Officer
Address _______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
In this Notice “parish” means an ecclesiastical parish.
B
Parish of ........................................................................................
REVISION OF CHURCH ELECTORAL ROLL
Notice is hereby given
that the Church Electoral Roll of the above parish will be revised by the Parochial
Church Council*, beginning on __________________ the __________________
day of __________________ 20___, and ending on __________________ the
__________________ day of __________________ 20___.
* Note –
The new roll must be
completed not less than
15 days or more than
28 days before the Annual Parochial Church
Meeting.
After such Revision, a copy of the Roll will be exhibited for not less than 14 days on, or
near to, the principal door of the Parish Church for inspection.
Under the Church Representation Rules any persons are entitled to have their names
entered on the roll if they —
(i) are baptised and aged 16 or over;
(ii) have signed a form of application for enrolment;
and either
(iii) are members of the Church of England or of any Church in communion with the
Church of England being resident in the parish or (not being resident in the parish)
having habitually attended public worship in the parish during the six months prior to
the application for enrolment;
or;
(iv) are members in good standing of a Church (not in communion with the Church of
England) which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity declaring themselves also
to be members of the Church of England and having habitually attended public worship
in the parish during the period of six months prior to enrolment.
Forms of application for enrolment can be obtained from the undersigned. In order
to be entitled to attend the Annual Parochial Church Meeting and to take part in its
proceedings, forms of application for enrolment must be returned by the date shown
above for the ending of the revision of the Electoral Roll by the Parochial Church Council.
Any error discovered in the roll should at once be reported to the undersigned.
** Note –
Not less than 14 days
notice must be given
Dated this** ____________________ day of ___________________ 20_____
Signed ________________________________________________________________
Church Electoral Roll Officer
Address _______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
In this Notice “parish” means an ecclesiastical parish.
*Those who become 16 in the next twelve months may complete the form and become eligible to be entered on the roll on their sixteenth birthday. Post Code I declare that:-­‐ 1 I am baptized and am aged 16 or over (or, become 16* on ) AND Tick one only of boxes 2A, 2B or 2C. I declare that the above answers are true and I apply for inclusion on the church electoral roll of the parish. Signed: ______________________________ Date:_______________ 2A I am a member of the Church of England (or of a Church in communion with the Church of England) and am resident in the parish. 2B I am a member of the Church of England (or a Church in communion with the Church of England) and, not being resident in the parish, I have habitually attended public worship in the parish during the period of six months prior to enrolment. 2C I am a member in good standing of a Church (not in communion with the Church of England) which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and also declare myself to be a member of the Church of England and I have habitually attended public worship in the parish during the period of six months prior to enrolment. (full postal address) Address (full Christian name, surname and title) Name APPLICATION FOR ENROLMENT ON THE CHURCH ELECTORAL ROLL Parish of Those who become 16 during the next 12 months may complete the form, and become eligible to be entered on the roll on their sixteenth birthday. You must be over the age of 16 on the date of the AGM (and therefore be recorded on the roll) to be eligible to vote. In this form, “parish” means ecclesiastical parish. 4. When completed this form should be returned to the Parish Electoral Roll Officer If you have any problems over this form, please approach the clergy or lay people responsible for the parish, who will be pleased to help you. 3. 2C. Membership of the electoral roll is also open to members in good standing of a Church not in communion with the Church of England which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity where those members are also prepared to declare themselves to be members of the Church of England. Such denominations would include the Methodist, Baptist, Roman Catholic and URC churches. 2B. If you do not live within the boundaries of this parish you must have habitually attended public worship at this church for the last six months before you can be entered on the Electoral Roll (see below for exclusions from this rule). 2A. The only Churches at present in communion with the Church of England are other Anglican Churches in Britain and abroad, and certain other foreign Churches. 1.
Notes C
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