Māori Ward poll
At the Local Elections 2025, electors will also be asked to vote in a poll on whether to keep or remove the Far North district Māori ward, and whether to keep or remove the Northland Regional Council Māori constituency.
The questions on the Māori Ward Poll will be simple and easy to understand: ‘I vote to keep the Māori ward / constituency’ or ‘I vote to remove the Māori ward / constituency’.
The outcome of the poll will decide the future of Māori wards / constituencies for our District and region.
This means that the outcome of the poll will take effect from 2028 and will be binding for two elections – the 2028 and 2031 Local Elections.
Why are we having a poll on Māori wards?
The establishment of Māori wards has been debated over many years by both Central and Local Government. Below is a timeline showing key milestones in the debate on Māori wards:
- October 2020 – Initial deliberation: The council debated the introduction of Māori wards. A motion to establish these wards for the 2022 and 2025 elections resulted in a tied vote, leading to its defeat. Subsequently, the council resolved to conduct a poll during the 2022 local elections to gauge public support for Māori wards.
- May 2021 – Adoption of Māori wards: Following legislative changes that allowed councils to revisit Māori representation without binding polls, the council held an extraordinary meeting on May 4, 2021. After presentations from iwi and hapū, councillors voted 7-3 in favour of establishing Māori wards for the 2022 and 2025 elections.
- July 2024 – Reinstatement of poll requirements: The central government passed the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2024, which reinstated the requirement for councils to hold referendums before establishing Māori wards. This legislative change mandated that councils with existing Māori wards, like the Far North District Council, decide by September 6, 2024, whether to retain these wards and hold a binding poll during the 2025 local elections or to abolish them.
- September 2024 – Decision to retain Māori ward: On September 6, 2024, the Far North District Council unanimously voted to retain the Ngā Tai o Tokerau Māori Ward. They also passed a motion directing the chief executive to explore legal options to avoid conducting a binding poll in the 2025 local elections, reflecting the Council's commitment to maintaining Māori representation despite the reinstated poll requirements.
Who can vote in the Māori Ward Poll?
You need to be enrolled as a resident and/or ratepayer to vote in the Māori Ward Poll.
How will I get the poll?
The local elections are conducted by postal vote. You will receive your voting papers and poll questions for Far North District Council and Northland Regional Council in the voting pack mailed to your address from 9 September 2025.
If you do not receive your voting papers by Monday 22 September 2025, please contact the Electoral Officer for Far North District Council, Dale Ofsoske:
Phone: 09 973 9212 or 0800 922 822
Email: dale@electionservices.co.nz