There are concerns that sluggish voter turnout for Tauranga’s first Māori seat on the city council could impact the future of the ward for elections to come.

The final day to vote in Tauranga City Council’s election this year is on Saturday, when the election will see the city return to democracy with a fully elected council, replacing the government-appointed commissioners who have been in place since 2020.

Voting opened on June 29 and, by Monday, the cumulative return of votes already returned was 16.69 per cent, or 18,249 votes.

A breakdown of the nine wards eligible for voting shows the number of people who had already voted in the Māori Te Awanui ward was 13.65 per cent – the lowest result yet.

Te Awanui candidate Ashley Hillis says he's concerned.

Hillis joins Mikaere Sydney and Suaree Borell in vying for the Māori seat, the first in Tauranga council history.

“We are just not seeing the numbers. It is slightly disappointing. It’s not just us [Te Awanui hopefuls], it’s the candidates that have pushed for a greater voter turnout, and the council team has been working hard too,” Hillis says.

In total, just 40.28 per cent of eligible people voted in 2019. The 2016 turnout was 38.07 per cent and it was 37.78 per cent in 2013.

Unlike other New Zealand councils, Tauranga did not have an election in 2022 because of the appointment and extension of commissioners, whose term ends on Saturday.

The commissioners were appointed to replace the 2019-elected council, which was deemed to be too dysfunctional to carry out its duties.

Ashley Hillis is running for the Te Awanui ward in the 2024 Tauranga local body election. Photo / Alex Cairns.

This election marks the first time the city has seen orange voting bins placed around supermarkets, shopping centres and council and community spaces to encourage more voting.

It is also the first time the council has offered 90-second video profiles of candidates on its website.

Hillis says the low voting numbers in Te Awanui so far could be reflective of people taking more time to determine and analyse the candidates.

“I’m only postulating at this point but I’m going to assume people are taking their time in doing due diligence in working out who to vote for.”

He says he's among those who have only just voted, for this reason.

However, he's concerned that, if the low numbers don't improve, they could have far-reaching consequences.

Suaree Borell, candidate for the Te Awanui ward in Tauranga's election. Photo / Mead Norton.

“I’m worried that people on the outside, particularly those who are against Māori wards, see that as a reason not to have them. That’s a concern for me.”

The subject of Māori wards in local government has sparked referendums in opposition.

A referendum to reverse a council decision on Māori wards needs just five per cent of the area’s population to vote against a council decision and this is binding.

No other governance process is contested in this way.

The previous Government removed this legislation but the current coalition Government plans to reinstate it. A bill to do so has already passed its first reading.

In 2022, Local Democracy Reporting found Māori wards in Taranaki were only partly successful, with voter turnout a third lower than overall turnout across the region.

Hillis’ message to people was “get out and vote”.

“It doesn’t have to be for me. I’d prefer it was but it’s just so important for people to vote, regardless.”

Tauranga electoral officer Warwick Lampp says the introduction of orange voting bins has already made a difference to voter turnout in this year's election.

Tauranga’s current election is out of sync with other local government elections, held every three years, because of the appointment of the commissioners.

The city will return to the national cycle in 2028.

“These people that we elect will be running the city for the next four years,” Hillis says.

Borell is also concerned about the poor turnout figures in her ward and says there are several factors worth considering, such as historical disenfranchisement, socio-economic disparities and systemic barriers.

“Many Māori feel marginalised and disengaged from the political process ... It is hard to be interested in something that has never served or met your interests.”

It's important to note that addressing low voter turnout among Māori is a “complex issue” requiring ongoing efforts from the Government, community and individuals, she says.

There has already been efforts to address this, such as greater awareness and education around voting, promoting Māori representation and community-led initiatives that empower Māori to take part in the democratic process.

“By promoting inclusivity, raising awareness and providing accessible information, we can work towards increasing Māori voter turnout and ensuring that Māori voices are heard in the democratic process,” she says.

The city’s electoral officer, Warwick Lampp, says last week that the orange bins were making a positive difference, compared to the traditional postal system.

There appeared to be more votes, in general, early on in the election compared with the same time in the 2019 election, he says.

Mikaere Sydney has been contacted for comment.

-Bay of Plenty Times.