The Church Representation Rules (Amendment) (No. 1) Resolution 1989

Conduct of Elections

11.—(1) In rule 33, after paragraph (2) there shall be inserted–

“(2A) The diocesan electoral registration officer shall furnish the presiding officer with the names and addresses of the qualified electors and the presiding officer shall ensure that the persons qualified to nominate and vote in elections to the General Synod, and only such persons, shall be sent or given nomination and voting papers in respect of the said election at the address entered against their name in the register of lay electors.”

(2) In rule 33, after paragraph (3) there shall be inserted–

“(3A) It shall be the duty of the presiding officer within seven days of receiving a written request from a duly nominated candidate in the election to supply free of charge to that candidate the copy of the register of lay electors.

(3B) It shall be the duty of the presiding officer in any election under these rules to seek to ensure that during the period beginning on the date on which nominations are invited and ending on the last date for the return of voting papers, no papers or other literature are circulated to the electors by him or by or under authority of the diocesan synod or any deanery synod save election addresses prepared by the candidates under paragraph (3) above and such material relating exclusively either to the conduct of the election or to the business of the diocesan synod or any deanery synod as the presiding officer shall personally have approved.”

(3) In rule 33, in paragraph (4) at the beginning there shall be inserted the words “Subject to rule 41A,”.

(4) In rule 33, in paragraph (5) for the word “notice” there shall be substituted the words “not less than seven days notice in writing.”

(5) In rule 33, for paragraph (6) there shall be substituted–

“(6) (a) A full return of the result of any election and of the result sheet shall be sent by the presiding officer within ten days of the declaration of the result to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the House of Laity of the General Synod and to the Secretary-General of the General Synod and to every candidate in the election.

(b) The result sheet shall be publicly displayed in the diocesan office in such manner as the bishop may approve and at the General Synod office until the end of the first group of sessions of the new Synod as the Secretary-General may direct. For the purposes of this rule the person who held the office of Chairman or Vice-Chairman immediately before dissolution shall be deemed to hold that office if he has been re-elected to the General Synod.”