Call for whānau Māori to join the Māori roll as MP laid to rest

The son of the late Te Pāti Māori MP, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, has issued a call to action for Māori to register on the Māori parliamentary roll. He emphasizes that stronger Māori representation in Parliament is vital for preserving kaupapa Māori and amplifying Māori voices in governance. The Māori Roll is a dedicated electoral roll in Aotearoa New Zealand that allows people of Māori descent to vote for and be represented in Māori electorates, rather than general electorates.

New Zealand has a dual electoral roll system:

• The Māori Roll: For voters of Māori descent who want to vote in one of the seven Māori electorates.

• The General Roll: For voters who are not of Māori descent, or for Māori who choose not to vote in the Māori electorates.

Voters of Māori descent can choose which roll to be on, and this decision determines:

• Which electorate they vote in for the general election.

• Which candidates they can vote for (Māori or general electorate MPs).

The Māori Roll is a crucial part of ensuring Māori political representation in Parliament. It was first introduced in 1867 with the Māori Representation Act, at a time when most Māori were excluded from voting under the colonial system.

• There are currently 7 Māori electorates, and they exist only because people opt into the Māori Roll.

• The number of Māori seats in Parliament is determined by how many people are on the Māori Roll at the time of the Māori Electoral Option period, which happens every 5–6 years.

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