What is the Electoral Roll?
Electoral Roll membership gives us all a say in shaping the Church of England and contributes to the way in which parishes are allocated clergy. Our Electoral Roll is instrumental in keeping Christ Church, Southgate, on the radar! Businesses with no customers, very quickly go out of business… The same is true of parish churches… With no expression of interest, there’s no reason to keep them open. Ensuring we keep our doors open and have clergy in post more than justifies completing an Electoral Roll registration form.
Are there any other benefits?
Electoral Roll membership gives you voting rights at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) and it enables you to stand for election and participate in the running of your church as a PCC member, Warden, Treasurer, etc. It also enables you to become an elected member of the Enfield Deanery Synod, London Diocesan Synod and/or General Synod of the Church of England, should you so wish.
Can I join the Electoral Roll?
There are one or two conditions you have to meet in order to be eligible. Electoral Roll members are people who:
- have been baptized
- are 16 years of age or older
- have regularly attended Christ Church for at least the last six months
Such people will normally live within the parish boundaries, but those who live outside can also be on the Electoral Roll if they meet these same requirements.
You can be on the Electoral Roll of more than one church – some people have a weekday or ‘work’ church as well as their ‘home’ church in the place where they live. (You will complete one form for each church, if this applies to you.)
You can also be added to the Electoral Roll if you are a member of another Church, which is either in communion with the Church of England, or which isn’t in communion but subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, and you are prepared to declare yourself a member of the Church of England and have regularly worshipped in Christ Church during the previous six months.
How do I join?
Application forms for Electoral Roll membership can be found at the back of
Additional information
At Christ Church, our Electoral Roll application form also asks for additional contact details – your phone number (this can be a landline, mobile or both) and your email address. We can then use these details to contact you with information about special events, services
Why do we keep renewing it?
Membership fluctuates all the time – people come and go. Recognising this, Electoral Rolls are completely renewed every six years.
Patricia Ashby, Electoral Roll Officer