CAPTION SUP131220darleen NRC by election candidate Darleen Tana Hoff Nielsen

NRC by-election candidate Darleen Tana Hoff-Nielsen - Māori wards are a "no brainer." Photo / supplied

Three Whangārei women who have publicly thrown their hat into the ring for the Northland Regional Council by-election are all in favour of Māori seats.

Fiona Douglas, Darleen Tana Hoff-Nielsen (Ngāpuhi, who contested this year's general election in Northland for the Green Party) and Charlotte Toner agree that Māori seats would benefit councils.

The council has called the by-election in the Whangārei urban constituency after former deputy chairman and longtime councillor John Bain resigned on the spot and walked out of the council's October 20 meeting just before councillors voted for Māori constituencies.

The three women became the first to join the race at Māori wards-themed meetings in Whangārei recently, where former New Plymouth Mayor Andrew Judd spoke in favour of designated seats.

Toner said she was standing because the regional councillors were predominantly white, middle-aged men. The same was the case for its executive. It was time for a younger voice.

Previously employed by the regional council, and the Far North District Council, she had been pleased to see the regional council establish its Tai Tokerau Māori advisory committee, but it did not go far enough. She was in favour of Māori constituency representation, partly to be consistent with Parliament's Māori seats.

By-election nominations close on Tuesday, giving candidates the summer holiday period to campaign.

Meanwhile Bain, who will not be contesting the by-election, is leading a campaign challenging the regional council, Kaipara and Whangārei District councils, all of which have voted to establish Māori seats, to conduct referenda.

Hoff-Nielsen said it should be up to Māori to decide, rather than those on the general electoral role, and that Māori wards were a "no brainer."

"The weird part is the polling thing, that's just bizarre. That needs to be changed," she said.

Douglas said it was unfair to Māori that the Local Electoral Act allowed for such polling, adding that Māori seats were important to help bring diverse voices to the councils.

By-election voting begins on January 26, closing on February 17.