N Mayo (The Weekend Sun, August 3) seems confused about democracy. Democracy is based on fairness, so in elections we all get one equal vote, and the majority rules. Fairness also means not making decisions unfair to minorities such as Maori. At present non-Maori voters heavily outnumber Maori voters in local elections, so Maori candidates are not elected, and the Maori point of view is not represented. That is unfair.

N Mayo seems to think that democracy is just about equal voting, while ignoring fairness. Race-based legislation to provide fair representation for Maori is not undemocratic if everybody still gets one equal election vote. N Mayo supports democracy because it is fair but objects to fair representation for Maori. That is a contradiction.
P Dey, Welcome Bay.