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Elections to General Synod

New clergy and lay members are being elected to General Synod this year – and you are invited to stand as a candidate

General Synod is the national assembly of the Church of England. It shapes and approves laws that affect the whole of the Church of England. It agrees new forms of worship, debates matters of national and international importance, and approves the annual budget for the work of the Church at national level.

In Autumn 2026, elections are happening for new General Synod members. Those elected will serve for five years. Members are a mixture of bishops, clergy and lay people.

Six people will be elected from Church of England Birmingham – three clergy, and three lay people.

Almost anyone who attends church regularly is likely to be eligible to stand as a lay member. You don’t need to be a member of a PCC, Deanery Synod or Diocesan Synod.

We are looking for candidates who represent the whole range of people and churches across the Church of England Birmingham. We particularly welcome candidates whose background may currently be underrepresented.

There is a supportive induction programme to help new members in their roles.

Read our Frequently Asked Questions to find out more.

Next steps

If you would like to stand as a lay member, use the eligibility checker at www.cofe.io/StandForSynod as a guide to check you are eligible.

If you have any further queries arising, contact the Diocesan Electoral Registration Officer at Church of England Birmingham for more information: elections@cofebirmingham.com.

If you don’t wish to stand but know someone who you think should consider standing, please pass this information on to them.

Key dates

14 August - Nominations open
7 September - Nominations close
21 September - Voting opens
13 October - Voting closes
19 October - Results announced

How the election process works

Eligibility: Check if you can stand via the online eligibility checker or contact elections@cofebirmingham.com if you have any queries.
Nominations:

Members of Deanery Synods will be sent a nomination form by email/post on Friday 14 August. Follow the instructions on the form to submit the nomination.
If you are not a member of a Deanery Synod, contact elections@cofebirmingham.com for a nomination form.

If you are standing as a lay member, you will need two people who are members of a Deanery Synod to nominate you. If you are clergy, you will need two other clergy to nominate you. All candidates must fill out a nominations form, which is signed by the people who are nominating you.

After you have submitted your nomination, the Diocesan Presiding Officer will need to confirm your eligibility and declare your nomination valid.

Nominations open on 14 August and close on 7 September

Statements: You will need to write an election statement, which will be posted on our website. Statements are an opportunity to set out why you want to be elected and what you could bring to the role. We'll provide guidance on how to format your statement.

Voting: The lay Deanery Synod members in your diocese vote for lay candidates, and the clergy in your diocese vote for clergy candidates. The voting period is 21 September to 13 October.

Results: If elected, you would come to General Synod for the first time at its meeting in London this November.

Find out more

Find out more, check eligibility and read the full FAQs on the Church of England Stand for Synod website page.

Watch this short explainer video: What is the General Synod?

Have questions? Contact the Diocesan Electoral Registration Officer at elections@cofebirmingham.com.

FAQs

Why stand?

Opportunity to represent the concerns of your community and your diocese at a national level.

Have a say in national legislation that affects all parts of the Church of England.

Raise issues and contribute to debates on social and policy matters.

Can be enormously rewarding.

Meet other Anglicans from across the country and the world.

What does a General Synod member do?

Members speak in debates, propose and vote on motions, serve on committees and review legislation.

Do I need special skills?

You will need to be able to show you are someone who listens with an open mind, who is able to reflect prayerfully on issues, and who is able to confidently contribute to discussions.

We are looking for candidates who represent the whole range of people and churches in the Church of England.

You don’t need any previous experience in making speeches. You don’t need to be a member of a PCC, Deanery Synod or Diocesan Synod.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t know everything about how the Church operates or how General Synod works – people will help you with this if you do get elected. There is a supportive induction programme.

What is the commitment?

If elected, you would be expected to attend each meeting of Synod for the next five years. It is possible to attend all General Synod meetings either in person or online.

Each meeting lasts five days and there are usually two meetings per year, one in London and one in York. In your first year, you would also attend an additional three-day meeting in London.

Do I get paid for this?

The role is voluntary and unpaid.

Members’ travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses are covered. If you are not able to pay up front for these things, we will work with you to ensure this is not a barrier to you serving on General Synod.

The 2026/27 rate of compensation set by the Archbishops’ Council for loss of earnings due to attendance at General Synod or at meetings of the Synod’s or Council’s subordinate bodies is the actual loss up to £220 per day of absence.