Māori Electoral Option closes

More than 23,300 Māori have chosen to change roll types or enrol to vote. Photo/File

More than 23,300 Māori have opted to change roll types or have enrolled to vote.

The 2018 Māori Electoral Option ran from April 3 to August 2 and gave all enrolled voters of Māori descent the choice to be on the Māori or general roll.

A total 52.4 per cent of Māori voters were on the Māori roll and 47.6 per cent were on the general roll, compared with 52.8 per cent and 47.2 per cent at the start of the Option period.

There have been net increases of 1200 on the Māori roll and 4015 on the general roll.

Enrolment and community engagement national manager Mandy Bohté said about 95 per cent of Māori voters chose to stay on the roll they were already on.

"There was a small change in the proportion of voters on each roll," Bohté said.

"Of those who opted to change rolls, more moved from the Māori roll to the general roll, and when it came to new enrolments, more opted for the Māori roll."

The data will be provided to Statistics New Zealand which will use the results, along with information from the Census, to calculate the number of Māori and general electorates for the next two elections.

Statistics New Zealand is working towards releasing the number of electorates in March 2019.

There are currently seven Māori electorates and that number could increase, decrease or stay the same.

After the number of electorates has been calculated by the Government Statistician, the Representation Commission will be convened to determine the electorate boundaries and the names of the electorates for the 2020 and 2023 general elections.

For an electorate breakdown and previous Māori Electoral Option results go to www.elections.org.nz/meo/results.