Commentary on Sections Part 2: Registration of electors Section 10 Anonymous registration
63.Subsection (1) adds new sections 9B and 9C into the 1983 Act. Section 9B provides the possibility of anonymous registration of electors in certain circumstances. If a person is eligible for registration, but fears that his safety or that of another person resident in the same household would be at risk if he were identifiable from the electoral registers, he may apply for anonymous registration. Section 9C provides for the removal of an anonymous entry after 12 months.
64.Section 9B(1) sets out the requirements for seeking anonymous registration. The person must make a specific application, it will not be possible to apply on the canvass form. Along with the prescribed information required for registration as a parliamentary and local government elector, the person has to provide further information specifically relevant to their application for an anonymous entry. They must make a declaration and provide evidence in support of their application.
65.Section 9B(2) specifies that an ERO, when determining an application for an anonymous entry must determine whether the safety test is satisfied.
66.Section 9B(3) provides that where an application for anonymity is granted, the details which will appear on the register will be only their electoral number and letters prescribed in regulations which indicate the elections for which, and the manner by which, the person can vote.
67.Section 9B(6) sets out that where an application for an anonymous entry is refused, no new entry in the register should be made at all.
68.Section 9B(7) provides that where the person who unsuccessfully applied for anonymity was already on the current electoral register, that entry is not to be removed. A person may apply again for registration despite the rejection of their application for anonymity.
69.Section 9B(10) specifies the safety test to be applied in the determination of an application for anonymous registration. The test will be satisfied where the safety of the applicant for an anonymous entry or that of any other person of the same household would be at risk if the register contains the name of the applicant or his qualifying address.
70.Section 9C(1) provides that a person’s anonymous entry terminates after 12 months. It is not automatically renewable. It will terminate if the declaration made for the purposes of seeking an anonymous entry is cancelled earlier (e.g. at the elector’s request, or if he moves out of the constituency).
71.Section 9C(3)provides that upon the termination of an anonymous entry, a registration officer has to remove it from the register unless a further application for an anonymous entry is granted.