Register to vote anonymously
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Overview
Your name and address will be on the electoral register if you register to vote.
If you think your name and address being on the electoral register could affect your safety, or the safety or someone in your household, you can register to vote anonymously.
This means you will still be able to vote, but your name and address will not be on the electoral register. Your electoral registration office will not disclose your details to anyone, unless they are legally required to.
Steps to register anonymously
There are three steps to register to vote anonymously. You will need to:
- download and complete the application form
- explain why your safety, or the safety of someone in your household, would be at risk if your details were on the electoral register
- submit evidence to support your registration
You will need to return your application form, explanation and evidence to your local registration office.
Download the application form
There are different application forms for different areas of the UK.
If you live in Northern Ireland, you need to download a form from the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.
Evidence to support your application
To support your application, you can submit:
- a court document that is for your protection, or the protection of someone in your household
- an attestation, where an authorised person to signs your application form to confirm your safety would be at risk
You only need to submit either a court document or an attestation. You do not need to submit both to support your application.
List of evidence
To support your application, you can submit:
- an injunction for the purpose of restraining a person from pursuing any conduct which amounts to harassment granted in proceedings under Section 3 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 or under article 5 of the Protection from Harassment (Northern Ireland) Order 1997
- an injunction granted under Section 3A(2) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997
- a restraining order made under Section 5(1) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, or under article 7 of the Protection from Harassment (Northern Ireland) Order 1997
- a restraining order on acquittal made under Section 5A(1) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997,or under article 7A(1) of the Protection from Harassment (Northern Ireland) Order 1997
- a non-harassment order, interdict or interim interdict made under Section 8 or 8A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997
- a non-harassment order made under Section 234A(2) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995
- a non-molestation order made under Section 42(2) of the Family Law Act 1996, or under article 20(2) of the Family Homes and Domestic Violence (Northern Ireland) Order 1998
- a matrimonial interdict within the meaning of Section 14 of the Matrimonial Homes (Family Protection) (Scotland) Act 1981
- a domestic interdict within the meaning of Section 18A of the Matrimonial Homes (Family Protection) (Scotland) Act 1981
- a relevant interdict within the meaning of Section 113 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004
- an interdict that has been determined to be a domestic abuse interdict within the meaning of Section 3 of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2011
- any interdict with an attached power of arrest made under Section 1 of the Protection from Abuse (Scotland) Act 2001
- a forced marriage protection order or interim forced marriage protection order made under Part 4A of the Family Law Act 1996, or under Section 2 of, and paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to, the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007, or under Section 1 or Section 5 of the Forced Marriage etc. (Protection and Jurisdiction) (Scotland) Act 2011
- a domestic violence protection order made under section 28 of the Crime and Security Act 2010 or section 97 of, and paragraph 5 of Schedule 7 to, the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015
- a female genital mutilation protection order made under section 5A of, and paragraphs 1 or 18 of Schedule 2 to, the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003
You can’t use any other court document.
The court document needs to be in force on the day you apply to register anonymously.
To support your application, you can ask for an attestation from:
- a police officer of or above the rank of inspector of any police force in England and Wales
- a police officer of or above the rank of inspector of the Police Service of Scotland
- a police officer of or above the rank of inspector of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
- the Director General of the Security Service
- the Director General of the National Crime Agency
- any director of adult social services in England within the meaning of section 6(A1) of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970
- any director of children’s services in England within the meaning of section 18 of the Children Act 2004
- any director of social services in Wales within the meaning of section 6(1) of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970
- any chief social work officer in Scotland within the meaning of section 3 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968
- any director of social services of a Health and Social Services Board established under article 16 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972
- any executive director of social work of a Health and Social Services Trust established under article 10 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1991
- any registered medical practitioner
- any registered nurse or midwife
- any person who manages a refuge
A “refuge” means accommodation with a planned programme of therapeutic and practical support for victims of, or those at risk of, domestic abuse or violence
You can’t get an attestation from anyone else, including a more junior person within an organisation.
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Find contact details for your local electoral registration office to return your application
Download our guidance about supporting survivors of domestic abuse to register to vote
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