Low turnout at the Ikaroa-Rawhiti byelection last weekend affected numbers voting for the Maori Party, co-vice president Ken Mair said.
He was disappointed by the low turnout, and also by Maori Party candidate Na Raihania running third, after Mana candidate Te Hamua Nikora, a television celebrity.
There has been speculation that the Maori Party could rejoin with its former MP Hone Harawira, who now leads the Mana Party. If the votes of Mana and the Maori Party had been for one candidate, that person would have won. Mr Mair would not be drawn on that possibility.
He said the Maori Party's AGM in two weeks' time would be the time for in-depth analysis of the byelection result, and planning for the future.
The winner was Labour candidate Meka Whaitiri, who got 42 per cent of the vote. Mr Nikora got 25 per cent, Mr Raihania 20 per cent and Green candidate Marama Davidson 11 per cent.