The 2025 preparation of a new electoral roll
This is a summary of the information that parishes need to know regarding the preparation of a new Electoral Roll. The full guide can be found in part 1 of the Church Representation Rules.
Most years, an existing electoral roll is revised, but every six years the Church Representation Rules require that an entirely new roll must be created and everyone must apply again to be included on it. 2025 is one of the years where a new roll must be prepared.
The process for preparing a new electoral roll is similar to an annual revision but with a few key changes:
- The initial notice that you must display near the entrance of every church in the parish refers to a new roll rather than a roll revision (click here for a copy of the notice)
- That notice must be displayed in a prominent place at the entrance of every church in the parish at least two months before the APCM, rather than the roll-revision timetable of 15-28 days before the APCM
- You will also need to receive applications from everyone who wishes to be a part of the new roll, rather than the usual process of just adding people to, or removing people from, an existing roll (click here for a copy of the application form which everyone will need to complete)
Below is a short step-by-step summary of the Church Representation Rules for the preparation of a new roll (the full guide can be found here):
- A notice must be displayed near the main door of every church in the parish at least two months before the APCM (click here for a printable copy)
- This notice must stay up for at least 14 days (but can remain up for longer)
- Announcements must made in church during the 14 days (at least) to explain that a new electoral roll is being prepared this year and that everyone must complete a new application form if they wish to be included on the electoral roll again (even if they were on the previous roll)
- All reasonable efforts must be made to let everyone on the existing electoral roll know that a new roll is being prepared (unless they are no longer qualified to be on the roll, for instance, someone who is known to have moved away and no longer worships regularly in the parish). If you hold contact details for people who are on the existing roll, you can use those to inform them that a new roll is being prepared.
- Everyone who wishes to be included on the new electoral roll must complete an application to be on the new electoral roll (click here for a copy of the application form)
- To be on the Electoral Roll a person must be baptised, at least 16 years old, and either:
- oLiving in the parish and a member of the Church of England (or a church in communion with the Church of England)
- oNot resident in the parish but a member of the Church of England (or a Church in communion with the Church of England) and has regularly attended worship in the Parish during the six months prior to enrolment or
- oA member in good standing of a Church which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and they are prepared to declare themselves a member of the Church of England, having regularly attended worship during the six months prior to enrolment.
- The new electoral roll must be completed between 15 and 28 days before the date of the APCM
- The newly completed electoral roll (names of people on the roll, but no personal details) must be published (usually by displaying near the main entrance of each church in the parish) at least 14 days before the date of the APCM
- During this time (14 days before the APCM) corrections can be made (e.g. correcting a misspelling) but no new names can be added or any names removed
- The chair, vice-chair, secretary or electoral roll officer of a PCC must, no later than 1st July, submit the total number of names on the roll of the parish as it was at the date of the APCM. This can be sent to Church House electronically by completing this form or can be sent to Church House by post using this form.
Any questions which cannot be answered by the information above can be directed to the Database Administrator at Church House.