General Synod elections 2026

The 2026–2031 General Synod will be comprised of the House of Bishops, the House of Clergy, and the House of Laity. Representatives for the House of Clergy and the House of Laity are elected from within each diocese.

The Diocese of Bristol has been allocated three clergy representatives and three lay representatives for this General Synod period.

The election process for both Houses will begin on 14 July 2026, including all statutory preparatory steps. The full election timetable for both Houses is provided below.

Click here to view the election timetable for the House of Clergy

Click here to view the election timetable for the House of Laity

Candidates for Election

The Diocese of Bristol is delighted to announce that the candidates for election are listed below. You can view their election addresses by clicking on their name.

House of Clergy

House of Laity

We are displaying the election addresses of all candidates who have chosen to provide one. In this election, every candidate has submitted an election address. These have been made available to help electors learn more about the candidates before casting their vote. You can view each candidates election address by clicking on their name.

Information about the election

Who can stand for election?

House of Laity

You may be eligible to stand for election to the House of Laity even if you are not eligible to vote in the House of Laity elections.

To stand for election to the House of Laity of the General Synod, a person must:

Have received Holy Communion in accordance with the practice of the Church of England, or a Church in communion with it, at least three times in the twelve months preceding the date of the dissolution of the General Synod.
Be confirmed (or ready and willing to be confirmed), or be a communicant member of a Church that subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.
Be 18 years of age or older on the date of the dissolution of the General Synod (expected July 2026).

In addition, the person’s name must either:

Be on the electoral roll of a parish within the Diocese, or
Be on the community roll of the Cathedral Church of the Diocese.

House of Clergy

To be eligible to stand for election to the House of Clergy in the Diocese or other electoral area, a person must:

Have been ordained as a priest or deacon;
Not be in episcopal orders; and
Fall into one of the following categories:
- A qualified elector in the Diocese or other electoral area; or
- A person who has written permission from the Bishop to officiate in the Diocese and who would be a qualified elector if they were:
  - a member of a deanery synod in the Diocese or other electoral area; or
  - in the Diocese in Europe, a member of a deanery or archdeaconry synod; or
  - in the Diocese of Sodor and Man, a member of the Diocesan Synod.

A person may stand for election if they are normally a qualified elector in the universities and TEIs constituency, provided that:

They choose to stand in the Diocese or electoral area instead of the universities and TEIs constituency
If they decide to stand in the Diocese/area rather than in the universities and TEIs constituency, they must inform both:
- the Presiding Officer for the Diocese, and
- the Presiding Officer for the universities and TEIs constituency
They are beneficed in, or licensed to, a parish in the Diocese or other electoral area
They are licensed to serve as a vicar in a team ministry in a benefice in the Diocese or other electoral area
They would otherwise be eligible to vote in the Diocese or electoral area (they meet all the usual requirements to be an elector in that Diocese except that they are currently registered as an elector in the universities and TEIs constituency).

Election Process

The nomination and election process will be managed by Civica, an external election platform.

Written Q&A

Electors will be invited to submit written questions for candidates between 14 August 2026 and 9 September 2026 (5pm).

Candidates will then be invited to provide written answers to these questions. All responses will be published online and circulated to the electorate by email on 17 September 2026.

Candidates and Election Addresses

All candidates will be invited to submit an election address, which will be made available to electors through the elections portal.

Election addresses submitted by the deadline of Monday 7 September will be published on our website. Addresses received after the deadline may be uploaded at the discretion of the Presiding Officer.