In accordance with the Church Representation Rules, 2019 is a year in which an entirely new church electoral roll must be prepared in advance of the annual parochial church meeting in every parish in the Church of England. The last time this was done was in 2013.

Whether or not a person has their name entered on the existing electoral roll, anyone wishing to be enrolled on the new roll must complete a fresh form of application.  Regular worshippers are asked to seriously consider applying to enrol on the Church Electoral Roll.

Preparation of the new electoral roll will begin on Sunday 17thFebruary. Blank application forms and a box for depositing new forms will be available in the foyer from this date. This process must be completed no later than Saturday 16thMarch when all completed forms must have been deposited in the box or returned directly to the Electoral Roll Officer.

If you have any questions about the electoral roll or the preparation of the new roll, please don’t hesitate to contact the Electoral Roll Officer, Tracy Perrett, the Vicar or one of the Church Wardens.

Criteria for inclusion on electoral roll

In order to apply for enrolment on the Electoral Roll, a person must be:

(1) Baptised and aged 16 or over 

(2) (a) a member of the Church of England or of a Church in communion it and resident in the parish; or

(b) not being resident in the parish, to have habitually attended public worship in the parish during a period of six months prior to enrolment; or

(c) in good standing of a Church which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity (not being a Church in communion with the Church of England) and also prepared to declare himself to be a member of the Church of England having habitually attended public worship in the parish during a period of six months prior to enrolment.

Rights of members of the electoral roll

Those on the roll are voting members of the Church of England and so help to ensure that all the synodical councils of the Church – the Parochial Church Council, our Deanery Synod, The Oxford Diocesan Synod and the General Synod – are fully representative of its members. The members of the Parochial Church Council and Parish Representatives to Synod are required to be on the Electoral Roll.

Other rights associated with being on the Electoral Roll include:

(a) The right of marriage

As the established church, the Church of England gives all British citizens, with no former partner still living, the right to get married in the parish church where they are resident or in the church where either of the couple are on the church's electoral roll.

(b) The right of burial

Anyone who dies in the Parish, or while resident in it, is entitled to burial in the Churchyard. There is also a right of burial for anyone who died while on the electoral roll of a Parish having an open churchyard, regardless of where they reside or live.  

(c) Consideration of applications for children to attend Ranelagh School

The current criteria for children to be considered for Ranelagh School include the length of time that the parents have been on the Electoral Roll.