Māori Ward Poll

Tararua District Council will conduct a poll on its Māori ward during the local government elections in October. The question about whether voters want to keep or remove Māori wards will be voted on by everyone, regardless of which electoral roll they are enrolled on.

The format of the poll question is:

I vote to KEEP Māori wards (or Māori constituencies); or

I vote to REMOVE Māori wards (or Māori constituencies).

If the poll result is in favour of Māori wards, these would remain in place for the 2028 and 2031 local elections. If the poll result is against Māori wards, then the ward would be disestablished for the 2028 and 2031 local elections.

What is a Māori ward?

Māori wards provide one way for Māori to have a voice and be represented in local government decision-making. They are similar to a general, urban or rural ward and are reflective of the community in that ward.

Māori wards establish areas where only those on the Māori electoral roll vote for the candidates in that ward.

Successful Māori ward candidates become councillors and have a particular responsibility to represent people of Māori descent to bring forward their views and aspirations. However, they also represent the entire community.

Frequently asked questions

Anyone who is enrolled to vote, whether on the Māori or general electoral roll, is eligible to vote.

Changes to the Local Electoral Act (2001) in 2021 removed the requirement for binding polls for Māori wards. This change provided Tararua District Council (MDC) with an opportunity to make decisions on Māori wards in the same manner as other representation arrangements (such as a rural or general ward).

In consultation with iwi, council decided to adopt a Māori ward for the 2022 and 2025 elections in June 2021.

In April 2024, the Minister of Local Government announced changes to the legislation. These changes now require councils with established Māori wards to hold a poll on whether they should remain. Councils can also resolve to disestablish the Māori ward without a poll.

Following the legislative changes in July 2024, Council decided to retain a Māori ward for the 2025 election and to hold a poll alongside the election.

Wards are areas of a district (or city) identified for electoral purposes.  They help to bring diversity of representation to the decision-making table that reflects the make up of the community, bringing diverse views and experiences into the consideration of matters before the Council, so that there is a balanced approach to the impacts of decisions on all parts of the community.  Once elected, all Councillors must swear an oath to make decisions in the best interests of the entire district, regardless of which Ward they are elected from.

In the Tararua District, we have one Māori ward, the Tamaki Nui-a-Rua Māori Ward, and two General wards, the North Tararua General Ward and the South Tararua General Ward.

You can vote in a Māori ward if you are on the Māori electoral roll. Only New Zealand Māori and the descendants of New Zealand Māori can choose to be on the Māori electoral roll.

For those who are enrolling for the first time, they can choose if they want to be on the Māori electoral roll or the general electoral roll.

You can change your roll type at any time, except:

  • in the three months before a general parliamentary or local government election
  • before a parliamentary by-election if the change would move you into the electorate where the by-election is being held.

The requirements to stand for Council are the same regardless of if you stand for a Māori ward, or general ward. To be eligible to stand for election, a candidate must be:

  • a New Zealand citizen (by birth or citizenship ceremony)
  • enrolled as a Parliamentary elector (anywhere in New Zealand); and
  • nominated by two electors whose names appear on the electoral roll within the ward a candidate is standing. Candidates in Māori wards do not need to be of Māori descent, however they need to be nominated by two people on the Māori electoral roll.

Māori wards are a mechanism that help councils achieve better representation of their Māori community in council decision-making, and make sure Māori issues are more visible in council thinking and processes.

Māori wards are one way for councils to honour the principles of partnership committed to in the Treaty of Waitangi/ Te Tiriti o Waitangi because they guarantee that Māori will be represented at council.

No, the legislation has not changed councils’ ability to have other arrangements (such as iwi representatives).

There are 45 councils that have resolved to establish Māori wards since 2021.

In the Manawatū-Whanganui Region, Palmerston North City Council, Manawatū District Council, Rangitīkei District Council, Horowhenua District Council, Whanganui District Council, Ruapehu District Council and Horizons Regional Council have either established Māori wards or have resolved to establish Māori wards for the 2025 local elections.

Yes. Māori wards follow the principle of “one person, one vote.”

This means:

  • People on the Māori roll vote the same as those on the General roll.
  • A vote in a Māori ward has the same importance as a vote in any other ward.
  • The number of Māori ward seats is determined based on the total number of councillor positions and the proportion of people on the Māori roll compared to the General roll.

26.3% of people in the Tararua District identify as Māori. This is higher than national (16.7%) population statistics (2023 census figures).

At 10 August 2025, there were 12,835 electors on the general electoral roll and 1,398 electors on the Māori electoral roll for Tararua District