Māori roll grows by almost 15,000 voters since last election

The number of Māori voters registered on the Māori Roll has increased by nearly 15,000 since the last general election, according to the latest figures released by the Electoral Commission. As of the current data, there are 305,124 Māori voters on the Māori Roll, marking a rise of 14,824 compared to the 2023 election. This growth comes amid a decline in the number of Māori on the general roll, which has fallen by more than 20,000 to 255,900 within the same period. The disparity between the two rolls has widened significantly, with over 49,224 more voters registered on the Māori Roll than on the general roll. The surge in registrations on the Māori Roll appears to be primarily due to individuals already enrolled on the general roll switching to the Māori Roll. The Electoral Commission has set a deadline of midnight on Thursday, August 6, for voters wishing to switch rolls or update their information ahead of the upcoming election. Those seeking to make changes must act before this date, as the commission warned that processing of pending requests will take time after the deadline. Dr. Lara Greaves, an associate professor in politics at Victoria University of Wellington, noted that the continued growth of the Māori Roll is likely to persist over the coming years. She pointed to demographic trends, explaining that the Māori population is structured in a triangular shape, meaning younger generations, rangatahi Māori, are gradually entering the voting age. These younger voters, she observed, often exhibit a strong sense of cultural pride and a commitment to upholding the Treaty of Waitangi and Māori rights. According to her research, many of these young people are motivated to align themselves with the Māori Roll as a means of exercising their political agency. Public campaigns by Māori organizations and political parties have played a key role in encouraging more people to enroll on the Māori Roll. Campaigns such as the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti have emphasized the importance of registering on the Māori Roll as a way to assert political rights. Despite these efforts, Dr. Greaves highlighted that awareness remains low among the broader Māori community. A recent survey revealed that fewer than half of respondents were aware that having more Māori on the Māori Roll could lead to the creation of additional Māori electorates. One unconventional campaign gaining attention online involves Green Party candidate Tania Waikato, who represents the Waiariki electorate. Her campaign features imagery of young Māori women in bikinis and shirtless Māori men, aiming to draw attention to the Māori Roll. While some find the approach controversial, Dr. Greaves acknowledged its effectiveness in sparking conversation around the issue. The Electoral Commission has made concerted efforts to reach out to eligible voters, sending letters, follow-up emails, and even text messages to remind them of the opportunity to change rolls or update their registration. Thousands have taken advantage of this initiative, either changing their status or updating their personal details. Chief Māori advisor Hone Matthews urged those still undecided to consider the implications of their choice, stating, “If you are happy with the roll you're on, kei te pai. If you would like to change rolls before the election, you need to do it now.” As the election approaches, the commission anticipates further increases in enrollment activity. It has also advised individuals experiencing technical issues during the enrollment process to contact the support line at 0800 36 76 56 domestically or +64 9 909 4182 internationally. The commission expects to finalize the updated voter counts later this month, following the completion of all pending requests.