The Electoral Roll

What is the Electoral Roll?

WhaThe Electoral Roll is a list of names and addresses of everyone entitled to attend and vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM). Anyone who is on the Parochial Church Council (PCC), a Sidesman, or on the Deanery Synod must be on the Electoral Roll.

Who may be on the Electoral Roll?

Any person who is:

• Baptised, aged 16 or over, and not ordained

and

• Living in the Parish of St Mary’s Welwyn and St Michael’s Woolmer Green

or

• Not living in the Parish of St Mary’s Welwyn and St Michael’s Woolmer Green but having worshipped regularly at one of these churches during the previous six months

Note: Members in good standing of a church not in communion with the Church of England which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity may also apply if they are willing also to declare themselves a member of the Church of England and have habitually worshipped in the parish during the previous six months

How to apply

Please fill in the form which can be downloaded by clicking here and return to the Electoral Roll Officer at the address shown on the form. Forms are also available in the churches.

You can apply at any time of the year except for a short period before the APCM.

When is a name removed from the Roll?

A person's name is removed from the Electoral Roll when they

• die
• are ordained
• request his/her name to be removed
• no longer live in the parish and have not been a regular worshipper for six months

When is a new Electoral Roll prepared?

Every six years people are required to complete a new form and a new Electoral Roll is prepared (this last happened in April 2006).

In other years the Electoral Roll is revised to ensure the data contained is correct. Parishioners are not required to complete a new form unless the information about them needs updating.

Not less than two months before the APCM, a notice is displayed near the door of both churches advising parishioners of the revision . At every service on the two Sundays following the display of the notice an announcement is made in the service leaflet advising that the revision process is taking place.

What happens when the new Electoral roll has been prepared?

It is displayed in the Church Office for 14 days prior to the APCM and is available to view on weekday and Sunday mornings between 09.30 and 12.30.

The numbers on the new Electoral Roll are submitted to the secretary of the Diocesan Synod by 1st June. The number of people on the Roll relates to the calculation of the parish share paid by the churches to the Diocese to cover clergy salaries, pensions and housing.