Meka Whaitiri move makes political waves, causes ripples to Māori and general electoral rolls

Independent MP Meka Whaitiri speaks in the house at Parliament on Tuesday. Photo / NZME

Last week Meka Whaitiri left the Labour Party to join the ranks of Te Pāti Māori. Whaitiri said it was a calling back to her whakapapa. The move appears to have sparked reaction from Māori in both directions.

Thousands of Māori have jumped from the general electoral roll to the Māori roll - and almost the same number have done a 180 and gone back to the main roll for Election 2023.

One voter said she had gone from the general roll to the Māori roll and was now having second thoughts.

“I’m not so sure I have done the right thing,” she said. “The way this was handled doesn’t sit right with me.”

Māori have until July 13 to decide which roll they want to be on for the October election.

Since March 31, 20,762 Māori have changed rolls, enrolled for the first time, or updated their details.

More than 8000 have changed roll types and more have switched to the Māori roll than the general roll - 4432 from the general roll to the Māori roll, and 3845 from the Māori roll to the general roll.

There have been 437 new enrolments on the Māori roll and 270 new enrolments on the general roll.

Another 11,778 people haven’t changed rolls but have updated their details on the electoral roll, for example, their address.

From May 1-May 7, 483 Māori went from the General roll to Māori roll, and from May 8-May 12, 741 more Māori joined them.

Going the other way, from May 1-May 7, 401 Māori opted from the Māori roll to the general roll and from May 8-May 12, 669 more Māori switched as well.

‘It’s time to choose whether you want to be on the Māori electoral roll or the general electoral roll when you vote in this year’s election,’ says Karl Le Quesne, chief electoral officer.

He said if you’re Māori, you choose the Māori roll or the general roll when you first enrol to vote. After that, you can change the roll you’re on any time except in the three months before an election.

“If you’re enrolled and you want to change rolls before this year’s election, you need to do it by 13 July. If you’re not enrolled to vote, do it now, so you can have your say on the people and parties who represent you in Parliament.”

People can enrol, update their address, and change rolls if they would like to online at vote.nz, or call 0800 36 76 56 to ask for an enrolment form to be sent to them in the mail.

Chief electoral officer Karl Le Quesne. Photo / Supplied

“Stop by and talk to our teams from the Electoral Commission if you see them at community events. Over the coming weeks they’ll be at the weekend markets in Avondale, Māngere, Manurewa, Otara and the Night Market in Papatoetoe,’ Le Quesne says.

Community engagement teams are working across the country to raise awareness about the option including in areas affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

“There’ll be some Māori voters who moved after the cyclone who won’t have received an information pack about the Māori Electoral Option, or just might not have had time to think about it.

‘Our team will be in Wairoa on Thursday 18 May running a drop-in session at the War Memorial Hall. As well as talking to people about the option, they’ll have information on paid work coming up at the election and asking for feedback on the best places to locate our voting places in Wairoa.”