Being on the Electoral Roll gives you the opportunity to have your say, attend the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) and stand for election to the Parochial Church Council (PCC). You can use the button below to download and complete an Electoral Roll form.

Once completed, you can send it to the Benefice Office or give it to a Churchwarden or the Electoral Roll officer.

ELECTORAL ROLL FORM HERE

You can find out more about an APCM by clicking here.

Also, if you are on the Electoral Roll of Taunton Minster and live within the Diocese of Bath and Wells, you can apply for a free Wells Cathedral Parish Pass.

You can get the Wells Cathedral Parish Pass application form by clicking here. When you have completed your form, it will need to be signed by one of the churchwardens or the Vicar. You can then take your fully completed form to the Welcome Desk in Wells Cathedral between 9.00am and 4.30pm (11.00am to 3.00pm Sundays) in order to collect your pass. More on Cathedral admission charges and arrangements by clicking here.

More about the Electoral Roll

What is it?
It’s Taunton Minster’s register of electors. In the same way that being on the civic Electoral Roll allows you to vote in parliamentary and local elections and referenda, joining the Church Electoral Roll means that you can vote on Church matters, attend the APCM and stand for election to the PCC.

Being on the Electoral Roll does not make you a “member” of the church. If you already consider Taunton Minster your spiritual home, then you are a church member.

Do I have to join?
You can be a full and active member of Taunton Minster without joining the Electoral Roll. Being on the Roll does not entail signing up for any additional commitments. However, it does help show a strong church—representation on the governing bodies of the Church depends on the number on the Electoral Roll, so it would be good if we can increase the numbers!

Joining the Roll is required if you wish to:

Stand for election to the PCC or other synodical council (such as the Deanery, Diocesan or General Synod)
Attend the APCM and participate in votes
Get married or baptise your children in All Saints Church (if you live outside the parish)

What does the Electoral Roll affect?

The maximum number of PCC lay members. For a large church like Taunton Minster, if the Roll does not reasonably reflect the numbers participating in the church, it might mean that the PCC is too small for the workload involved.

Representation on the governing bodies of the Church (PCC, Taunton Deanery Synod, Bath & Wells Diocesan and General Synod): The Church of England is governed by a synodical system which joins with the Bishops to make decisions. Being on the Electoral Roll is the entry point and Christians share an individual responsibility to be part of the “Body of Christ” and to participate fully in our part of His Church. This system is intended to enable church people at every level to be in touch with the Church as a whole and to play their part in decision-making. Also, the system is intended to ensure that the laity have their place in every aspect of church life, including doctrine and services.

The Electoral Roll does not have a direct effect on the way the Parish Share is assessed – it is based on estimated membership and socio-economic factors.

To apply for the Electoral Roll you must meet all the following conditions:

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).
You must be baptised.
You must be a member of the Church of England and either live in the parish or have attended a church in the parish regularly for at least 6 months.

What is a “member of the Church of England”?
A member of a Church in communion with the Church of England. The only Churches at present in communion with the Church of England are other Anglican Churches (except the so-called Anglican continuing Churches in North America) and some other foreign churches.

A member of a Church not in communion with the Church of England but which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity: You must be prepared to also declare yourself a member of the Church of England. This category includes other Protestant denominations such as Moravian, Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist, as well as Roman Catholic, URC, Russian/Greek Orthodox etc.

If you are a parish resident you do not have to actually attend the Church of which you consider yourself a member; but if you live outside the parish, the 6 months’ regular attendance at a church inside the parish is a requirement. You can find out which parish you are resident in by using the site ‘A Church Near You‘ and entering your postcode.

Note: you can be on the Electoral Roll of more than one Church, but you can only serve on the PCC of one Church at a time.

Why join the Electoral Roll?
Joining the electoral roll is an important way of confirming your commitment to the Taunton Minster community and to the vision of the Minster. It also opens up the way for greater involvement in the life of the Church of England, at Deanery, Diocesan and national levels. By joining, you become entitled to participate in the government of the church and to vote at the APCM, where the elections take place for:

Any person entitled to attend the APCM may raise any question of parochial or general church interest.

In addition, those who live outside the Parish but are on the Electoral Roll enjoy all the rights and privileges that go with being resident in the Parish (for example, baptisms and weddings).

I can’t remember if I am on the Roll?
You can always check with the Benefice Office or ask a churchwarden or the Electoral Roll Officer (Sandra Daw).

If your contact details have recently changed, it would be helpful if you could notify the Benefice Office so that the membership database is kept up to date.