The Register of Young Voters (Anonymous Entries) (Scotland) Order 2013

Explanatory note

Reproduced verbatim from the instrument as published on legislation.gov.uk (Crown Copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0). The note is prepared by the responsible government department and is not part of the instrument itself.

This Order makes provision in connection with the anonymous registration of young voters for the purposes of an independence referendum.

Article 3 extends the types of orders and injunctions that may accompany an application for anonymous registration. The effect is that where an order or interdict of the type described in this Order is evidenced, an applicant will be taken to satisfy the ‘safety test’ which is required for anonymous registration. The safety test is that the safety of the applicant or that of any other person of the same household would be at risk if the register of young voters contained the applicant’s name or qualifying address.

Article 4 allows a chief social work officer in Scotland to authorise other persons to make and sign attestations certifying that there is such a risk. An applicant can demonstrate that he or she satisfies the safety test by means of such an attestation, rather than an order, injunction or interdict.