Look out for your Māori Electoral Option pack
Enrolment packs are being sent to 562,000 voters of Māori descent about their electoral roll choice for the 2026 General Election.
“If you’re Māori you choose the general roll or Māori roll when you first enrol to vote. After that, you can change rolls at any time except in the three months before an election,” says Hone Matthews, Chief Advisor Māori for the Electoral Commission.
“If you would like to change the roll you’re on before this year’s election, you need to do it by midnight, Thursday 6 August. The roll you are on at that time will be your roll for the election.
“Kei a tātou te mana – our choice has mana. It’s an important choice and decides if you vote in a Māori electorate or general electorate. There’s no right or wrong, just what’s right for you.”
Your enrolment pack
Anyone who identified themselves as Māori when they enrolled to vote will be sent a Māori Electoral Option enrolment pack in the next couple of weeks.
“A letter in the pack tells you which roll you’re on – Māori roll or general roll. If you’re happy with your roll, you don’t need to do anything,” says Hone Matthews.
“If you’d like to change rolls, send back the letter in the pack or go online to vote.nz to make your roll choice.
“If you don’t receive a pack by 11 April, it means you’re not enrolled or we don’t have the correct address for you.
“You can enrol, check or update your details online at vote.nz/enrol or call 0800 36 76 56 for free and ask for an enrolment form to be sent to you. Any problems, please call our 0800 number and the team will help you,” says Hone Matthews.
On 2 March 2026, 562,069 voters of Māori descent were enrolled to vote, 304,508 (54%) on the Māori roll and 257,561 (46%) on the general roll.