Voting for new General Synod members is now open for electors, and will close on Tuesday, October 13.
We have nine House of Laity and eight House of Clergy places to fill in the Diocese of Leeds. The full list of candidates and their nominators can be clicked below.
New clergy and lay members are being elected to General Synod this year – and all regular churchgoers are being invited to think about whether they might 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.
You can find out more about what the General Synod is and what it does by watching this short video from the Church of England nationally:
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.
Who gets to vote and choose the members?
The electorate for lay members of the General Synod are the lay members of Deanery Synods, who vote for General Synod lay members for their diocese. All clergy in each diocese can vote for clergy members from their diocese - but not for lay people.
What does a General Synod member do?
Members speak in debates, propose and vote on motions, serve on committees and review legislation.
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.
How the election process works and key dates:
- Eligibility: Candidates used the checker on the Church of England Website here and then contacted elections@leeds.anglican.org to confirm their eligibility.
- Nominations: If standing as a lay member, candidates needed two people who are members of a Deanery Synod to nominate them. If standing while a member of clergy, candidates needed two other clergy to nominate them. Nominations opened on 14 August 2026 and closed on 7 September 2026. The elections in the Diocese of Leeds are for 9 members of the General Synod House of Laity and for 8 Proctors in Convocation (Clergy) to the General Synod.
- Statements and hustings: You will have the opportunity to write an election statement and may be invited to take part in a ‘hustings’ event for the diocese, which may be online. Statements and hustings are an opportunity to talk about why you want to be elected and what you could bring to the role.
- 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 2026 to 13 October 2026.
- Results: If elected, you would come to General Synod for the first time at its meeting in London this November.
Information, including more Frequently Asked Questions, about the 2026 General Synod elections is available on the Church of England website Elections to Synod | The Church of England