This election, many areas are holding votes on whether to keep Māori wards. Here you can find some basic information about what Māori wards are and why many councils are holding a vote about whether to continue them.
What are Māori wards?
Just like there are Māori electorates in central government elections, some councils have Māori wards or constituencies. These are council seats that anyone registered on the Māori roll can vote for. Anyone can stand in a Māori ward or constituency seat, but only people of Māori descent can register on the Māori roll.
Māori ward councillors have the same roles and responsibilities as their other elected member colleagues: to represent the people who voted for them on council.
Elections for Māori wards or constituencies work the same way as all other council elections: each person on the Māori roll has one vote, and the proportion of people to each council seat is the same as non-Māori seats too.
How long have Māori wards been around?
The first Māori ward was created in the Bay of Plenty Regional Council in 2001, with a specific law passed to allow the council to create three Māori seats. After this, the Local Government Act in 2002 made it an option for any council to create a Māori ward. However, creating a Māori ward required a majority of all people in that area to vote for its approval. During this time, 24 different councils tried to create Māori seats, but only two received a majority of votes to meet the poll requirement.
Why are these Māori ward polls being held now?
In 2021, the Labour government passed an amendment to the Local Government Act which meant that councils could create a Māori ward without holding a poll. In 2024, that change was reversed by the National government. Any council could choose to remove their Māori ward/wards, which two councils did. To keep having a Māori ward, councils now have to hold a poll at the same time as the 2025 election.
If I’m on the Māori roll, will I still be able to vote in a Māori ward at the 2025 local elections?
Yes. All Māori wards which haven’t been disestablished will continue to exist in the 2025-2028 term, no matter what the result of the poll is.
Why do some places with Māori wards not have to vote?
A few councils have Māori wards but are not required to hold a referendum for various reasons. Bay of Plenty Regional Council does not have to hold a poll, as its Māori ward was created under a law written just for the Bay of Plenty area. Wairoa District Council and Waikato Regional Council created their wards before 2021, where a majority of local voters voted for Māori wards. Ōpōtiki District Council held a non-binding poll on Māori wards during the 2022 local elections, which also received a majority. Some councils, like Environment Canterbury and Buller District Council have Māori representation through councillors who are appointed rather than voted for, and therefore there will not be a poll in these places. Tauranga City Council has a Māori ward, but is not holding elections in 2025; it will have to hold a separate poll later on.
All other councils with Māori wards are holding a poll in 2025. If you are in any of these council areas, you will have an option on your voting paper to vote to continue or not continue having a local Māori ward.
Councils running an electoral contest and a poll for Māori wards or constituencies at the 2025 elections:
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council
Far North District Council
Gisborne District Council
Hamilton City Council
Hastings District Council
Hauraki District Council
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Council (Horizons Regional Council)
Horowhenua District Council
Hutt City Council
Kāpiti Coast District Council
Kawerau District Council
Manawatū District Council
Masterton District Council
New Plymouth District Council
Marlborough District Council
Matamata-Piako District Council
Napier City Council
Nelson City Council
Northland Regional Council
Ōtorohanga District Council
Porirua City Council
Palmerston North City Council
Rangitikei District Council
Rotorua District Council
Ruapehu District Council
South Taranaki District Council
South Wairarapa District Council
Stratford District Council
Taranaki Regional Council
Tararua District Council
Tasman District Council
Taupo District Council
Thames-Coromandel District Council
Waikato District Council
Waipa District Council
Wellington City Council
Wellington Region (Greater Wellington Regional Council)
Whakatāne District Council
Whanganui District Council
Whangārei District Council
Western Bay of Plenty District Council
Partially adapted from Vote Local’s Māori Ward page, which has further information and a map of Māori ward elections.
This election, many areas are holding votes on whether to keep Māori wards. Here you can find some basic information about what Māori wards are and why many councils are holding a vote about whether to continue them.
What are Māori wards?
Just like there are Māori electorates in central government elections, some councils have Māori wards or constituencies. These are council seats that anyone registered on the Māori roll can vote for. Anyone can stand in a Māori ward or constituency seat, but only people of Māori descent can register on the Māori roll.
Māori ward councillors have the same roles and responsibilities as their other elected member colleagues: to represent the people who voted for them on council.
Elections for Māori wards or constituencies work the same way as all other council elections: each person on the Māori roll has one vote, and the proportion of people to each council seat is the same as non-Māori seats too.
How long have Māori wards been around?
The first Māori ward was created in the Bay of Plenty Regional Council in 2001, with a specific law passed to allow the council to create three Māori seats. After this, the Local Government Act in 2002 made it an option for any council to create a Māori ward. However, creating a Māori ward required a majority of all people in that area to vote for its approval. During this time, 24 different councils tried to create Māori seats, but only two received a majority of votes to meet the poll requirement.
Why are these Māori ward polls being held now?
In 2021, the Labour government passed an amendment to the Local Government Act which meant that councils could create a Māori ward without holding a poll. In 2024, that change was reversed by the National government. Any council could choose to remove their Māori ward/wards, which two councils did. To keep having a Māori ward, councils now have to hold a poll at the same time as the 2025 election.
If I’m on the Māori roll, will I still be able to vote in a Māori ward at the 2025 local elections?
Yes. All Māori wards which haven’t been disestablished will continue to exist in the 2025-2028 term, no matter what the result of the poll is.
Why do some places with Māori wards not have to vote?
A few councils have Māori wards but are not required to hold a referendum for various reasons. Bay of Plenty Regional Council does not have to hold a poll, as its Māori ward was created under a law written just for the Bay of Plenty area. Wairoa District Council and Waikato Regional Council created their wards before 2021, where a majority of local voters voted for Māori wards. Ōpōtiki District Council held a non-binding poll on Māori wards during the 2022 local elections, which also received a majority. Some councils, like Environment Canterbury and Buller District Council have Māori representation through councillors who are appointed rather than voted for, and therefore there will not be a poll in these places. Tauranga City Council has a Māori ward, but is not holding elections in 2025; it will have to hold a separate poll later on.
All other councils with Māori wards are holding a poll in 2025. If you are in any of these council areas, you will have an option on your voting paper to vote to continue or not continue having a local Māori ward.
Councils running an electoral contest and a poll for Māori wards or constituencies at the 2025 elections:
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council
Far North District Council
Gisborne District Council
Hamilton City Council
Hastings District Council
Hauraki District Council
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Council (Horizons Regional Council)
Horowhenua District Council
Hutt City Council
Kāpiti Coast District Council
Kawerau District Council
Manawatū District Council
Masterton District Council
New Plymouth District Council
Marlborough District Council
Matamata-Piako District Council
Napier City Council
Nelson City Council
Northland Regional Council
Ōtorohanga District Council
Porirua City Council
Palmerston North City Council
Rangitikei District Council
Rotorua District Council
Ruapehu District Council
South Taranaki District Council
South Wairarapa District Council
Stratford District Council
Taranaki Regional Council
Tararua District Council
Tasman District Council
Taupo District Council
Thames-Coromandel District Council
Waikato District Council
Waipa District Council
Wellington City Council
Wellington Region (Greater Wellington Regional Council)
Whakatāne District Council
Whanganui District Council
Whangārei District Council
Western Bay of Plenty District Council
Partially adapted from Vote Local’s Māori Ward page, which has further information and a map of Māori ward elections.