May 31, 2018
New voters keen on Maori roll
MONA PAULINE MANGAKAHIA INTERVIEW
First time or returning voters going on to the Maori roll is helping to make up for the number of Maori voters switching to the general roll.
It's the halfway point in the four-month Maori option that happens after every census, and for the first time since the roll has been linked to the number of Maori seats the total has been going backwards.
The pace has slowed, with 1445 people switching from the Maori to the general roll in May, compared with 7,093 in April, and 1340 going back the other way compared to 4,610 in April.
Electoral Commission spokesperson Mona Pauline Mangakahia says the net loss to the Maori roll is just 1426 because of a surge in new enrolments.
There were only 431new enrolments to the Maori roll in April, but the total more than doubled to 1,162 this month, compared to just 764 opting to vote in general seats.
The Maori option closes on August 2, and the total will determine whether the number of Maori seats will go up or down.
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