A Whangārei woman feels frustrated and “ripped off” after she was moved from the Māori roll to the general roll without her knowledge or consent.
Chala Chase is now unable to vote for Māori ward candidates as it is too late for her to revert to the Māori roll before the local body election.
Chase (Ngātiwai, Ngāti Hine) from Takahiwai is the cousin of Green MP Hūhana Lyndon, who stood in the Te Tai Tokerau Māori electorate in the 2023 general election.
This was one of the reasons Chase decided to change to the Māori roll in time for the 2023 election and she had no problem voting then.
Last week, after hearing of issues with enrolment records, Chase decided to check her enrolment details and was surprised to find she was listed on the general roll, not the Māori roll.
When she rang the Electoral Commission, staff were able to confirm her enrolment was updated in November 2023 - shortly after the election - but could not tell her how and why the change was made.
Chase is awaiting more details and intends to lodge a formal complaint.
While she has updated her enrolment to revert to the Māori roll, the change cannot be processed within the three months before an election.
This means she will not be able to vote in the Whangārei District Māori Ward or Northland Regional Council’s Te Raki ward.
Chase will still vote but feels let down that she will not be represented in the Māori wards.
“It makes me feel ripped off because I enrolled and I should be voting in the Māori roll but that’s been taken away from me.
“It’s unjust because it happened without my permission, my authorisation and my say-so. I feel like the option has been taken away from me and I should have that right.”
Chase admitted she did not see her enrolment pack, posted in April, which contained the incorrect details.
She suspected it got lost on her papakāinga where three families share a mailbox.
She encouraged others to check enrolment details, rather than assuming they are the same as last election.
Lyndon is also encouraging people to check their enrolment details and to follow up if there are any issues.
Many people were unable to find their enrolment records online but that could be because the Electoral Commission’s vote.nz website requires absolute accuracy with name and address details, she explained.
Anyone having trouble online should call the commission on 0800 36 76 56 to check their details, Lyndon said.
She has been helping voters navigate the system but wants to find out exactly what happened with her cousin.
Te Pāti Māori has filed urgent proceedings in the High Court over concerns Māori have been shifted off the Māori roll or removed from the electoral roll altogether without their knowledge.
The party has sent formal letters to the Electoral Commission, the Minister of Justice and the Ombudsman demanding urgent action.
Electoral Commission chief electoral officer Karl Le Quesne said the system is running as it should be and there are no technical issues with the website.
“The search on our website to find your enrolment record is strict to maintain voter privacy and ensure that a person can only see the record we hold for them,” he said.
The most common issue is with addresses, as any small differences mean the search might not find an enrolment record.
Le Quesne said the commission understands the frustration when people can’t find their records online and will look at how it can improve the experience.
Despite receiving hundreds of phone calls a day over the past few days, it has not detected any unusual patterns with voters being moved from the Māori roll to the general roll or being unenrolled, he said.
“We are taking people’s concerns seriously. Anyone who has questions about their enrolment can call freephone 0800 36 76 56 or email enquiries@elections.govt.nz.”
Māori can change between the Māori and general rolls any time except the three months before an election or byelection, and the choice is up to each person, Le Quesne said.
“We won’t put voters on either roll by default and we won’t change a person’s roll without their permission, either online using verified ID or by providing a signed enrolment form.”
After a roll change is made, a letter of confirmation is sent out so people can check their details and make any corrections, he said.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.