Electoral Commission teams spread the word about the upcoming Māori Electoral Option
Electoral Commission staff will be out across New Zealand over the next few weeks spreading the word about this year’s Māori Electoral Option.
This year’s Māori Electoral Option starts on 25 March, and outreach teams will be working in communities throughout New Zealand to make sure that Māori have all the information they need to make their choice.
“If you are Māori and on the electoral roll, then this year you get to choose which type of electoral roll you want to vote on – the Māori roll or the General roll”, says Murray Wicks, National Manager of Enrolment Services.
“There hasn’t been a Māori Electoral Option since 2006”, says Mr Wicks, “so we want to make sure that Māori have access to all the information about the Option and what it means before making their decision when the Option period begins. It’s an important choice, and we want people to be confident to take part.”
People who indicated that they were of Māori descent when they enrolled will be sent a personalised Option pack in the mail in late March. It will include detailed information about the Option and the form needed to make their roll type choice.
Outreach teams, which include representatives from Māori organisations already active in local communities, begin their work from early February.
“This is a great opportunity for your marae, workplace or whanau to find out more about the upcoming Option,” says Mr Wicks. “To find the team working in your area, full information is available through our website at www.elections.org.nz, or by calling freephone 0800 36 76 56.”