Stand for General Synod: elections 2021

Is there someone in your church community who would consider standing for General Synod?

The elections will start in July this year. General Synod is the legislative body of the Church of England. Being an elected member is a chance to represent the concerns of your community at a national level.

How often do elections take place?

Elections to the House of Laity take place every 5 years.

About the 2021 elections

• An important difference in this year’s elections, is that for those who have provided an email address, the whole of the elections – both nomination and voting stages – will take place using an online portals provided by Civica Election Services.
• Electors will be emailed login details to the election sites which will enable them to make nominations and to vote when the time comes.
• The General Synod Election timetable (for both clerical and lay elections) is as follows:

• The qualifying date for electors (i.e. those who propose and second candidates, and who can also vote) and of the candidates themselves is 6am on Monday 12 July, this being the date of the dissolution of the General Synod.
• The election Registers may be inspected at London Diocesan House until the close of nominations. Please email GSelections@nulllondon.anglican.org so that arrangements can be made for your visit.
• No one may vote or stand as a candidate in more than one diocese or electoral area.
• Electors should note that the regulations governing the General Synod elections allow candidates to request details of not only electors’ postal addresses as previously, but also of electors’ email addresses, where these have been provided.  These details are solely for the purpose of sending to electors canvassing information from the candidates in this election.

Who can stand?

The General Synod has three Houses: Bishops, Clergy and Laity. Each diocese is allocated a number of seats in the Houses of Clergy and Laity – the number of seats varies according to the size of each diocese.

Any serving clergy or retired clergy with permission to officiate in a diocese can stand. Any communicant lay person who is on a church electoral roll (or cathedral roll) and is 18 or above can stand. There is no need for lay candidates to be on a PCC, deanery synod or diocesan synod.

Why stand?

You can have a say in national legislation that affects all parts of the Church of England. You can also raise issues and contribute to debates on social and policy matters.

Time commitment and expectations

General Synod usually meets twice a year for 5 days each in London and in York. Each synodical term (known as a “Quinquennium”) lasts for five years. At the start of each Quinquennium, Synod also meets in London in November for a three-day Inaugural Synod. It is very unusual for Synod to meet three times a year outside the inaugural years.

Do I get paid?

The diocese will reimburse your expenses up to a nominated amount including travel expenses and accommodation at London Synods. For York Synods, accommodation and meals are provided on the campus of York University where Synod meets each July. Synod members may claim expenses for travel to York Synods.

I’m interested. What now?

If you wish to obtain nomination papers, please email GSelections@nulllondon.anglican.org and

Either:

• Request online login details if you wish to use the online election Portal to make your nomination,

Or:

• Ask to be sent physical nomination papers. These can be sent to you by email or post. Please state which.

Please remember to include the postal and/or email address to which the login details or nomination papers are to be sent.

Please note: If you are a qualified elector (which includes amongst others, those who on the qualifying date are beneficed or licensed clergy, and those who are lay members of the deanery synods except for co-opted members), you will automatically be sent either an invitation to submit a nomination online, or physical nomination papers.