Election 2020: Māori Party calls for recount in Te Tai Hauāuru

Maori Party co-leader and Te Tai Hauauru candidate Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says there are problems with the electoral process. Photo / Bevan Conley

The Māori Party is calling for a recount in Te Tai Hauāuru, alleging "prejudice" in the system - although it does not dispute the final numbers.

In a statement, Māori Party President Che Wilson said that while the party felt a recount in both the Te Tai Hauāuru and Tamaki Makaurau electorates will uncover fundamental issues in the voting process.

"We do have issues with the way our whānau are treated at polling booths and we need to demonstrate that Māori are prejudiced in trying to vote, unlike other New Zealanders," Wilson said.

"Whānau said some were refused their right to vote on the Māori roll. When they pushed back, they then had to wait in queues to cast special votes. Some of them just left. Others were given Pakeha rolls to vote on."

Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer - who fell 1035 votes short of Labour's Adrian Rurawhe in Te Tai Hauāuru but entered Parliament last week as a list MP after special votes were counted - said the system was fundamentally unfair.

"On our Facebook pages we had people contacting us, because there were all sorts of issues. When we saw the scale of it, we thought shoot, we need to understand why we had so many informal for such a small group," she said.

There were 709 informal candidate votes in Te Tai Hauāuru as opposed to 407 informal party votes.

"We also want to understand why there was so many problems, especially for first time voters and those who were put on general when they wanted to be on the Māori [roll], so there were a whole lot of issues that we had and we want to get to the bottom of it."

Ngarewa-Packer said that the party respects the decision of voters, but believed there were fundamental flaws in the electoral process.

"It's not about saying we don't respect the decision, actually what we want to do is solve the inequities and all of the issues we have to contend with that no one else has to."

Political commentator Shane te Pou said that while he agreed there were undoubtedly inequities in the system, calling for a recount was "ridiculous."

"It's a stunt, and I don't think it's a particularly clever stunt," he said.

"All you're doing by asking for a recount is not discussing the validity of the votes, you're just counting the votes that have been accepted."

Te Pou believed that despite a recount process being an inappropriate method of exploring the issue, there is validity in a request for a review of the system either externally or within Parliament.

"They do have a point though. I think there ought to be a review of the infrastructure around the ability to vote on the Māori roll."

"I think the issues of concern are valid, but the best way to address it is through the Māori Affairs select committee."

Rurawhe has been approached for comment.

Candidates seeking a recount must apply to a District Court judge within three working days of the declaration of official results. A request for a recount cannot be denied, regardless of the margin between candidates.

The judge then has three days to begin the recount, with the count usually taking between 3-5 days. Candidates seeking a recount must pay a $1022.22 deposit upon application.