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A local Council may establish Māori wards for their city or district. New Plymouth District Council resolved to establish a Māori ward on 21 July 2020.
Similar to the Māori Parliamentary seats, Māori wards establish areas where only people on the Māori Parliamentary electoral roll vote for the candidates in that ward. The Māori wards sit alongside the general wards of each city or district.
Those voting in Māori wards and constituencies receive the same number of votes as anyone else.
In February 2021, changes to the Local Electoral Act (LEA) removed any options for establishing Māori ward/s other than by resolving to have Māori wards.
First the number of councillors and card boundaries are finalised as part of the Representation Review. New Plymouth District Council will undertake a Representation Review in mid-late 2021.
The Representation Review process determines:
To be eligible to stand for election, a candidate must be:
Candidates cannot stand for election in multiple wards (ie you can’t stand in a general ward and a Māori ward at the same election).
Electors on the Māori electoral roll can only vote for candidates from a Māori ward.
Electors on the general electoral roll can only vote for candidates from a general ward.
The Mayor is elected ‘at large’ by all electors (eligible voters). This means all electors from general and Māori wards vote for the Mayor.
No. The division into wards is for electoral purposes only. Once elected, all elected members, whether elected from general or Māori wards, take a formal oath of office to represent the entire community.
The number of councillors elected depends on a formula in the Local Electoral Act. The number of councillors is based on the Māori and general electoral populations of the district relative to the number of councillors.
The details of the representation structures (including the number of councillors and the ward structures (whether general or Māori wards) will be discussed and decided on as part of the Representation Review process.
If you are of Māori descent you can enrol in either the general or Māori electoral rolls.
If you are not of Māori descent you can only enrol on the general electoral roll.
You can find more information about the Māori electoral option on the Electoral Commission’s website.
Send an email to enquiries@npdc.govt.nz and ask to be notified when consultation on the review opens.
Phone us on 06 759 6060 or email us on enquiries@npdc.govt.nz.
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Page last updated: 01:40pm Wed 01 May 2024