Quite simply, it is our church’s register of electors. In the same way that being on the civic electoral roll allows you to vote in parliamentary and local elections, joining the Church of England electoral roll, allows you to vote at the All Souls Annual Parish Church Meeting on church matters, including the election of the church council and churchwardens. It also means you can stand for election to the church council and the Deanery, Diocesan or General Synods. The synods, together with the Bishops, are how the Church of England is governed.

The number of people on the electoral roll determines how many seats there are on our church council, and also how respresented we are on the synods. The system is intended to enable church people at every level to be in touch with the Anglican Church as a whole and to play their part in decision making. So the more people who are signed up, the more representative we can be.

No. You don’t automatically join the electoral roll by becoming an All Souls partner. So, you need to sign up to both.

The Electoral Roll is only renewed every six years - the next renewal will be in 2025. If you were eligible to vote at the Annual Church Meeting (APCM) last year, then you will still be on the Electoral Roll. We’ll be emailing everyone on the Electoral Roll in November. If you haven’t received an email, or are not sure, don’t worry - simply fill in the form and we will add you to the list if you’re not already on it. If you’re not sure, it’s better to sign up.

To apply for the electoral roll you must:

• Be aged 16 or over (though you can apply in the year you become 16 and your name will be entered once your birth date has passed) and
• Be baptised and
• Either live in the parish or have attended All Souls Church regularly for at least 6 months and subscribe to the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity

Joining the roll is a requirement if you wish to:

• Participate in votes at the APCM
• Stand for election as churchwarden, or to the church council or other synodical councils (such as the Deanery, Diocesan or General Synod)
• Get married by Banns at All Souls Church

You can still be a full and active member of All Souls Church without joining the electoral roll but we’d love everyone who is over 16, baptised, and who calls All Souls Church their home to sign up because we want everyone to play a part in decision-making, at All Souls Church and in the wider Church of England.

Being on the electoral roll does not mean signing up to any additional commitments.