Synodical Government Measure 1969

26 [F1 (1) Elections of members of the diocesan synod by the houses of the deanery synods shall be completed by the 15th day of July, the period and dates of the election being fixed by the bishop of the diocese and communicated to the secretaries of the deanery synods.

(2) The bishop shall appoint the presiding officers for the elections by the houses of the deanery synods, provided that no person shall be appointed as a presiding officer for an election by a house of a deanery synod of which he is a member. The expenses of elections shall be paid out of diocesan funds.

(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 diocesan 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 names in the register of electors.]

(3) Every candidate must be nominated and seconded by a qualified elector. A notice in the form set out in section 5 of Appendix I indicating the number of seats to be filled and inviting nominations shall be dispatched to every elector by the presiding officer . . . F2 Nominations in the form set out in section 6 of Appendix I shall be sent to the presiding officer in writing within such period not being less than 14 days as he shall specify and be accompanied by a statement signed by the candidate of his willingness to serve.

[F3 (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 one copy of the names and addresses of the qualified electors.]

(4) If more candidates are nominated than there are seats to be filled the names of the candidates nominated shall be circulated on a voting paper in the form set out [F4 either in section 7 or in section 8 of Appendix I to every qualified elector. The diocesan synod shall, not later than the 31st December in each year preceding any such election as is referred to in rule 25, [F5 make a determination as to which form of voting paper is to be used by the deaneries in that election, and that] determination shall apply to any election to fill a casual vacancy which occurs during the next ensuing three years.]

(5) The voting paper marked and [F6 , on the reverse thereof, signed by the elector and with his full name written.] shall be returnable to the presiding officer within such period not being less than 14 days as he shall specify . . . F7 No vote shall be counted if given on a voting paper not in accordance with this paragraph.

(6) Where [F8 voting papers in the form set out in section 7 of Appendix I have been used and] owing to an equality of votes an election is not decided, the decision between the persons for whom the equal numbers of votes have been cast shall be taken by lot by the presiding officer.

[F9 (7) Where voting papers in the form set out in section 8 of Appendix I are used, the election shall be conducted under rules, with the necessary modifications, made by the General Synod under rule 33(4) and for the time being in force.]

[F10 (8)] A return of the result of the election shall be sent by the presiding officer to the secretary of the diocesan synod and a statement of the result shall be sent by [F11 the presiding officer] to every candidate not later than the 1st [F12 August] in each election year.

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 3 rule 26(1)(2)(2A) substituted for paras. (1) and (2) by S.I. 1989/2094, para. 9(1)

F2 Words repealed by S.I. 1989/2094, para. 9(2)

F3 Sch. 3 rule 26(3A) inserted by S.I. 1989/2094, para. 9(3)

F4 Words substituted by S.I. 1980/178, para. 9(1)

F5 Words substituted by S.I. 1984/1039, para. 18(3)

F6 Words substituted by S.I. 1981/1650, para. 18(4)

F7 Words repealed by S.I. 1980/178, para. 9(2)

F8 Words inserted by S.I. 1980/178, para. 9(3)

F9 Rule 26(7) inserted by S.I. 1980/178, para. 9(4)

F10 Rule 26(8) (originally 26(7)) renumbered by S.I. 1980/178, para. 9(5)

F11 Words substituted by S.I. 1973/1865, para. 15(5)

F12 Word substituted by S.I. 1981/1650, para. 3(3)