On 31 March 2023 the Māori Electoral Option changed.
The Māori Electoral Option is a chance for all enrolled voters of Māori descent to choose which electoral roll to be on — the general roll or the Māori roll.
If you’re Māori, you can change your roll type at any time, except:
- in the 3 months before a general election
- in the 3 months before local elections which are held every 3 years
- before a parliamentary by-election if the change would move you into the electorate where the by-election is being held.
Before 31 March 2023, you could choose which roll to be on when you first enrolled to vote, then could only change roll types during the Māori Electoral Option, which took place every 5 or 6 years.
What is the Māori Electoral Option? (vote.nz)
What does your choice mean for you? (vote.nz)
How to make your choice (vote.nz)
Results of previous Māori Electoral Options
Results of Māori Electoral Options 1997 to 2018
| Year | Changes to electoral roll type | New enrolments of Māori descent | Impact on rolls | Total rolls at end of option | ||||
| Māori roll to general roll | General roll to Māori roll | Māori roll | General roll | Net impact on Māori roll +/(-) | Net impact on general roll +/(-) | Māori on Māori roll | Māori on general roll | |
| 2018 | 10,163 | 7,956 | 3,407 | 1,808 | 1,200 | 4,015 | 247,494 (52.4%) | 224,755 (47.6%) |
| 2013 | 8,261 | 8,859 | 6,454 | 2,721 | 7,052 | 2,123 | 228,718 (55%) | 184,630 (45%) |
| 2006 | 7,294 | 14,294 | 7,914 | 2,366 | 14,914 | (4,634) | 222,362 (58%) | 163,615 (42%) |
| 2001 | 4,866 | 13,872 | 15,138 | 3,436 | 24,144 | (5,570) | 188,366 (55%) | 151,889 (45%) |
| 1997 | 7,040 | 14,471 | 2,664 | 10,517 | 17,948 | (4,767) | 163,310 (54%) | 141,229 (46%) |
Māori representation in Parliament
Māori representation in Parliament began in 1867 and has gone through quite a few changes since then. Today, Māori MPs are elected to Parliament from the Māori electorates, general electorates and party lists.
Other places you can go to learn more about the history of Māori representation in New Zealand are:
- Ngā māngai - Māori representation - Te Ara, The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
- Māori and the vote - New Zealand History