Māori voters who would like to change electoral rolls before the local elections have until July 10 to make their choice.

If you are Māori, you choose the Māori roll or the general roll when you first enrol to vote. After that, you can change rolls at any time except in the three months before an election.

“You can change the roll you’re on for the local elections up until 10 July. You can’t switch rolls in the three months before the local elections on 11 October,” said Hone Matthews, Chief Advisor Māori.

“The local elections are when we vote for the people who represent us on our city, district and regional councils. Make sure you’re enrolled so you can have your say.

Matthews said if you're on the Māori roll and your council has Māori wards, you’ll vote in a Māori ward.

"If you’re on the general roll or your council doesn’t have Māori wards, you’ll vote in a general ward."

The elections are run by councils and it’s a postal vote.

"Check your address is up to date so you receive voting papers from your local council in the mail.  Go to vote.nz to enrol, check your details, or change your roll type,” said Matthews.

50 years of the Māori Electoral Option

2025 marks 50 years of the Māori Electoral Option, which is the choice for Māori between the Māori roll and the general roll.

The Electoral Amendment Act passed in 1975 defined Māori as a person of New Zealand Māori descent and means anyone who is Māori has the option of enrolling to vote on either roll.

“General roll or Māori roll, it’s your choice. He mana tō te kōwhiri - your choice has mana,” said Matthews.

Ko te rā aukati mō te kōwhiringa rārangi a ngā uri Māori

Ki te hiahia ngā kaipōti Māori kia whakawhiti rārangi pōti rātou i mua i ngā pōtitanga ā‑rohe, ka āhei tonu rātau ki te whakawhiti rārangi tae atu ki te 10 o Hūrae.

Nēi he uri Māori koe, i tō rēhitatanga pōti mātahi, ka kōwhiria e koe ko te rārangi pōti Māori, ko te rārangi pōti whānui rānei. Mā muri, ka āhei koe ki te whakawhiti rārangi wā noa, heoi kaua i te toru marama i mua i tētehi pōtitanga.

“E whakaatia ana tō whakawhiti rārangi mō ngā pōtitanga ā‑rohe tae atu ki te 10 o Hūrae. Kāhore e whakaaetia tō whakawhiti rārangi i te toru marama i mua i ngā pōtitanga ā‑rohe o te 11 o Oketopa,” te kī a Hone Matthews, a te Amo Māori.

“Hei ngā pōtitanga ā‑rohe, ka pōtihia ō tātau māngai mō ngā kaunihera ā‑tāone, ā‑rohe, ā‑takiwā hoki. Me rēhita kia āhei ai koe ki te whakaputa i ō whakaaro.

“Nēi kei te rārangi pōti Māori koe, ā, he wāri Māori kei tō kaunihera, ka pōti koe i roto i tētehi wāri Māori. Mehemea kei te rārangi pōti whānui koe, kāhore rānei he wāri Māori o tō kaunihera, ka pōti koe i roto i tētehi wāri whānui.

“Mā ngā kaunihera ngā pōtitanga ā-rohe e whakahaere mā te pōtitanga mēra. Tirohia nēi tika tō wāhi noho kia whiwhi ai koe i ngā puka pōti a tō kaunihera i te mēra.

“Toro mai ki vote.nz ki te rēhita, ki te titiro ki ngā taipitopito mōu, ki te whakawhiti rārangi rānei,” te kī a Hone Matthews.

Ngā tau e 50 o te Kōwhiringa Pōti Māori

I te tau 2025, ka eke te Kōwhiringa Pōti Māori ki te 50 tau. Koirā te kōwhiringa mā te Māori ki te rēhita ki te rārangi pōti Māori, ki te rārangi pōti whānui rānei.

E kī ana te ture i whakatūria ai te Kōwhiringa i te tau 1975, he Māori te tangata mehemea he tūpuna Māori ōna. I raro i tērā ture, ka āhei ngā uri Māori ki te rēhita me te kōwhiri i tētehi o aua rārangi pōti.

“Ko te rārangi Māori, ko te rārangi whānui rānei, māu e kōwhiri. He mana tō te kōwhiri,” hei tā Hone Matthews.