Electoral Roll

What is the Electoral Roll?

The Parish Electoral Roll is not the same thing as the civic Electoral Register. It is the Parish Church’s register of lay electors. Clergy may not be on the Electoral Roll. In the same way that being on the civic Electoral Roll allows you to vote in parliamentary and local elections and referenda, joining the Church Electoral Roll means that you can vote on Church matters, attend the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) and ask questions, and stand for election to the PCC (Parochial Church Council) or the Deanery Synod.

Being on the Electoral Roll does not make you a “member” of the Church; simply regarding St Peter & St Paul's as your spiritual home does that.

Do I have to join?

You can, of course, be a full and active member of St Peter & St Paul's without joining the Roll. Being on the Electoral Roll does not involve any additional commitments, and costs nothing.

Why join the Electoral Roll?

Joining the Electoral Roll indicates your commitment to St Peter & St Paul's community and to the vision of the church. The Electoral Roll is one indicator of the strength of the Church in our local area, and more widely.

But I don’t live in the Parish of St Peter & St Paul
If you live outside the parish, being on the Electoral Roll gives you all the rights and privileges that go with being resident in the parish (for example, baptisms, weddings, and burials). However, if you live outside the parish and want to join the Electoral Roll, you have to have been worshipping at St Peter & St Paul's for a minimum period of six months.

What does the Electoral Roll affect?

The number of people registered on the Electoral Roll directly influences the maximum number of PCC lay members. If the Roll is not representative this means that the PCC is too small for the workload involved, putting strain on PCC members.

Representation on the regional and national governing bodies (Synods) of the church depends on the number on the Electoral Roll. Being on the Electoral Roll allows Christians to take personal responsibility for being part of the “Body of Christ” and to participate fully in our part of His Church, alongside clergy and Bishops, in the Synods of Church of England. The local (Deanery), regional (Diocesan) and national (General) Synods enable church people at every level to be in touch with the Church of England as a whole and to play their part in decision making. Through Synods, lay people have a place in every aspect of church life, including doctrine and services.

The Electoral Roll does not have a direct bearing in the way the Parish Share is calculated. The Parish Share is the amount of money that each parish is asked to contribute to support the provision of mission and ministry of the Church in the Diocese of Portsmouth and beyond. It’s the responsibility of us all and an essential part of our discipleship and how our clergy are funded, and is based on estimated membership and socio-economic factors.

Do I qualify for the Roll?

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

Baptised and
over 16 years of age on or before the date of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting and
either a member of the Church of England or a Church in Communion with the Church of England, and resident in the parish.

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 this parish for at least 6 months prior to enrolment (unless prevented from doing so by illness or other sufficient cause)

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 this parish for at least 6 months prior to enrolment.

I’m convinced – how do I join?

Application forms can be downloaded here or obtained from the Church. Please note that only names will appear on the published Roll. Please deliver the completed hard copy forms to the Church.

I can’t remember if I have joined already?

You can check the list in the Church Porch, or view it here

My details have changed recently

If you are a member of St Peter & St Paul's Parish Church and your contact details have recently changed, please notify Tim Paul

How can I find out the results of the Renewal?

The Electoral Roll Officer gives a report at the APCM. Also, a copy of the Roll is available in the Church Porch or here.

Data Privacy Notice

Please click here for a Data Privacy Notice issued in line with the GDPR regulations, which explains how we handle your data, and your rights under the Regulations.