What’s this about a new electoral roll?
Every six years, all parish churches are required to throw their old electoral rolls in the bin, and create a brand new one – everyone who wants to be on it has to apply again. This is happened in 2025 – if you did not reapply, you will no longer be on the electoral roll; but you are welcome to join at any time.
What is an electoral roll?
In the context of a parish church, being on the electoral roll is the nearest thing the Church of England has to a “membership list”. We don’t technically have a “membership”, because historically everyone in England was assumed to be a member of the Church – and, specifically, of their own parish church.
Nowadays, electoral roll membership is to make it clear who has the right to vote for churchwardens, Parochial Church Council (PCC) members and Deanery Synod representatives – and the right to attend the annual meetings where these are elected.
More than this, however, it’s a ‘snapshot’ of all the people who are active in a parish church at any given time. Somewhere in the small print, this is defined as people who have been attending church services in that particular church about once per month or more, for the past six months.
Am I eligible?
Importantly, membership of the electoral roll does not require you to sign up to any particular list of beliefs, nor does it require you to be receiving Holy Communion (although you do need to have been baptised in a Christian church).
If you are happy to declare yourself to be a “member of the Church of England”, and if you’ve been attending St Margaret’s (or our joint benefice services in St Giles’) during the last six months or so, you are free to join (16s and over only).
Should I (re)apply?
We hope that you will apply (or re-apply). Why? Not only because it’s a sign of commitment to the St Margaret’s community, but because it is helpful for us, and for the Diocese, to have an up-to-date and accurate idea of the size of our parishes. For example, it determines how many representatives we can have on PCC and Deanery Synod.
So whether you attend every week, or more sporadically; whether you live in the parish or not; whether you are a convinced believer or someone who is just questioning; whether you’ve been attending for 50 years or just moved here in 2024 – please do consider applying (it’s free!).
How do I apply?
Just get in touch with Billy (electoral roll officer) to apply.