What is the Māori Electoral Option?

A chance for New Zealand Māori and their descendants to choose to be on the Māori Electoral Roll or the General Electoral Roll when they vote in the next two General Elections.

When is the next Māori Electoral Option being held?

It is scheduled for 2012.

Why should I be involved?

Taking part means you decide which type of electoral roll you want to be on – Māori or General.

You are also helping to set the number of Māori and General electorates for the scheduled General Election in 2014.

How will I know if I have been registered on either the Māori or the General Roll?

You can check your enrolment status online. Simply click Do it here!.

I am Māori but not on any electoral roll. What should I do?

You should complete an enrolment 'application' form. Simply click Do it here! to enrol and we'll send you the printed copy to check, sign and send it back.

The enrolment form has a place for you to choose whether to be on the General Roll or the Māori Roll.

I am Māori. Do I have to go on the Māori Roll?

No. If you are enrolling as an elector for the first time then you can decide whether you want to be on a General or a Māori roll by signing the appropriate panel on the enrolment form.

If you have been enrolled before, you must re-enrol for the same type of electoral roll you were previously on.

Why can't Māori change roll type at any time?

Under electoral legislation, people already enrolled can only change the type of electoral roll during a Māori Electoral Option. The Māori Electoral Option is held generally once every five years over a four month period, as soon as possible after the Census of Population and Dwellings.

Why do I have to complete the Māori descent question on the enrolment form?

So we can identify those people who are Māori or of Māori descent. This information is used to send Māori Electoral Option forms to those who declare themselves as being New Zealand Māori or descendants of New Zealand Māori.

How does the Māori Electoral Option affect the number of Māori electorates?

There are currently seven Māori electorates. If more Māori enrol on the Māori roll, it could mean more Māori electorate seats in parliament. The number of General Electorate seats would also change.

How does the Māori Electoral Option affect my vote on Election Day?

If you’re on the General Electoral Roll, you will vote for an MP in a General Electorate at the next General Election.

The person who wins the most votes in your General Electorate will become your local Member of Parliament (MP) and represent you and your region in Parliament.

If you’re on the Māori Electoral Roll, you will vote for an MP in a Māori Electorate at the next General Election.

The person who wins the most votes in your Māori Electorate will be your local MP and represent you and your region in Parliament.

The type of electoral roll you are on makes no difference to who you can vote for with your Party Vote.

Does it affect who I can vote for with my Party Vote?

No. Every voter regardless of which electoral roll they are on or where they live in the country has the same list of political parties to choose from when using their Party Vote.

Will my choice have any impact on how I vote in council of District Health Board elections?

The electoral roll type you choose may have an impact on your vote in a local authority or council election if your local authority has created Māori Wards or Constituencies under the Local Electoral Act 2001.

Currently only one council, Environment Bay of Plenty, has created a Māori Constituency. If you choose to go on the Māori Roll and your local authority decides to create a Māori Ward or Constituency, you would have to vote for the candidate in the Māori Ward.

Who is eligible to take part in the Māori Electoral Option?

Only New Zealand Māori. The Electoral Act defines Māori as “a person of the Māori race of New Zealand; and includes any descendant of such a person“. This includes Chatham Island Māori.Can

Can Māori living overseas take part in the Māori Electoral Option?

Yes, as long as they are qualified to enrol to vote. To be qualified, they need to be either:

• a New Zealand citizen, 18 years of age or over and have visited New Zealand at some time in the past three years; or

• a New Zealand Permanent Resident who has visited New Zealand at some time in the past 12 months.

Are Pacific Island Polynesians allowed to go on a Māori Roll?

No. Only New Zealand Māori or descendants of New Zealand Māori can be registered on the Māori Roll. Under the Electoral Act, Cook Island Māori are not regarded as New Zealand Māori and must be registered on a General Roll.

Is the Option open to Whāngai?

Only if the whāngai or adopted child/children are New Zealand Māori or descendents of New Zealand Māori.

Can I make more than one change during the Māori Electoral Option period?

No. Once you have made your choice and returned your form, you will not be able to change roll types again until the following Māori Electoral Option.

Why is it six years between the 2006 and 2012 Options? 

The Māori Electoral Option must be held as close as possible to the Census of Population and Dwellings, but it can not be held in a General Election year. The next Census is scheduled for 2011, and based on the three year election cycle a General Election is scheduled for 2008 and 2011. The next Māori Electoral Option would then have to take placed in 2012.

Why shouldn't Māori be able to exercise a fresh option before every General Election?

The frequency of Māori Electoral Option exercises is set by Parliament. Currently, Māori Electoral Option exercises are held generally every five years, just after Census of Population and Dwellings. The results of the Māori Electoral Option together with the Census data are used to determine the number of Māori and General Electorates in Parliament and to revise electorate boundaries.

Who decided there should be a Māori and a General Roll?

Four Māori seats were established by the 1867 New Zealand Parliament to give Māori a direct say in Parliament. Before 1867 there were only 'General' electorates. Today, there are three different kinds of MPs:

• General electorate MPs - you vote for these based on where you live. Everyone enrolled on the General roll, including Māori registered on the General roll, can vote for them.

• Māori Electorate MPs - again, you vote for these based on where you live, however only Māori registered on the Māori roll can vote for these MPs.

• List or Party MPs - everyone enrolled vote for these MPs using their party vote.

Has MMP changed the Māori Option exercise?

Yes. A special Option was run following the 1993 referendum that saw MMP introduced as New Zealand’s preferred electoral system.

This Option saw more Māori registering on the Māori Roll and resulted in the number of Māori electorates rising from four, under the previous system, to five. Subsequent Māori Electoral Option exercises has seen the number of Māori electorates increase to seven.