Didn’t Get a Māori Electoral Option Pack? You Need to Enrol

If you’re Māori and didn’t get a Māori Electoral Option pack in the mail last week, you need to enrol and choose whether you want to vote on a Māori electoral roll or a General electoral roll.

That’s the message from the Electoral Commission’s Murray Wicks, National Manager of Enrolment Services.

“There are a number of reasons why you may not have received a Māori Electoral Option pack,’ says Mr Wicks. “Your address details could be out of date, you may not have indicated you were of Māori descent when you first enrolled, or you may not be enrolled at all.”

“Either way, you’ll need to fill in a new enrolment form and choose which roll type you want to go on. It’s easy,” says Mr Wicks. “Just Freetext your name and address to 3676, go to www.elections.org.nz, visit any PostShop or call 0800 36 76 56. People can also check and update their details at www.elections.org.nz.”

The Maori Electoral Option gives Maori the chance to choose whether to be enrolled on the General roll or the Maori roll when they vote in a general election.

The results of the Māori Electoral Option together with the 2013 Census data are used to determine the number of Māori and General Electorates in Parliament and set electorate boundaries for the next two elections.

“It’s important that Māori take part now as the choice you make will stick with you for the next two general elections,” says Mr Wicks. “If you want to change rolls, you can only do this during the Māori Electoral Option, and it only takes place every five years or so.”

ENDS

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