The Anonymous Registration (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Order 2014

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

Anonymous registration is available to those persons for whom the publication of their name and address in the electoral register would pose a threat to safety. This may include victims of domestic violence, witnesses in certain criminal cases and other vulnerable people who may wish to vote but are afraid that certain individuals may use the electoral register to establish their whereabouts. Provision for anonymous registration in Great Britain was made by section 10 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22). Those provisions were extended to Northern Ireland, with some modifications, by the Anonymous Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/1116). This Order makes further amendments to fully implement that system.

Regulations 2 and 3 provide that an official postal poll card will be sent to a proxy at the address that would be shown in the proxy postal voters list if that information were not confidential.

Regulation 4 provides that an application by a person with an anonymous entry for the appointment of a proxy at a local election must be accompanied by an application by the proxy for a postal vote. Regulation 4 also makes minor and technical amendments in relation to tendered postal ballot papers at local elections.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.