March 08, 2013
Big numbers needed for Maori option shift
A Māori political scientist is warning it will take a big shift of Māori voters to get another Māori seat.
The Māori electoral option starts later this month, when Māori voters get the choice of switching between the Māori and general rolls.
Associate Professor Ann Sullivan from Auckland University says another 40,000 Māori would need to shift over to generate an eighth Māori seat.
She says most Māori who were going to swap from the general to the Māori roll probably have in recent options, and the rest would need compelling reasons to switch.
She says Māori often switch to the general roll as they become older and more conservative, and an increase in well-salaried middle class Māori could increase the trend.
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