Why did you choose?
The results of the Which Roll? – Ko Tēhea Rārangi Pōti? represent the most frequent reasons why people of Māori descent chose either roll (“Māori descent” is the wording of the rules, but we now refer to “Māori”).
These results were compiled by University of Auckland summer
scholars Rebecca Hini and Hannah Overbye, who spent the rainy Tāmaki Makaurau summer inside reading your answers.
Top 5 Reasons for Choosing the Māori Roll
52% of Māori chose the Māori roll. Here are some of the reasons why:
1. To increase Māori representation
Many felt the Māori roll was a voice for Māori, desired greater Māori representation, or felt their Māori roll representative better represented their own values, Māori interests, Kaupapa Māori politics, a Māori worldview, or Mana Motuhake.
4. Because I wanted to vote for…”
Some chose the Māori roll because they felt their local General electorate was all but guaranteed to a certain candidate (a ‘safe seat’), or because they preferred Māori roll candidates or parties. However, our results show that proportionately more Māori chose the General roll than the Māori roll for strategic reasons.
2. “He Māori ahau”: To express their identity as Māori
These participants discussed a relationship between their roll choice and their identity as Māori. Many simply said they are on the Māori roll because they are Māori. Some reflected on their pride in being Māori, their connection to their Māori whakapapa, or simply “feeling Māori politically”.
5. “My Nan told me to”: Influential relationships
Finally, some chose the Māori roll because they were influenced directly or indirectly by whānau, friends, or trusted others.
3. To tautoko the Māori Electorates
If more Māori enrol on the Māori roll the number of seats increase – these participants stated this fact or stated that they chose the Māori roll to support the roll, to protect the seats, or simply because they have the right to choose.
Other less frequent reasons included having more knowledge about the Māori roll, enrolment issues,
and having always been on the Māori roll (perhaps from before there was a choice). Within their answers, some reflected on wanting to change rolls, and others on the lack of education and knowledge out there around roll choice, especially when they were young.
Top 5 Reasons for Choosing the General Roll
48% of Māori chose the Māori roll. Here are some of the reasons why:
1. “I don’t see why Māori need separate representation”
This includes a range of responses: some stated they were on the General roll because they don’t believe in the Māori roll, they don’t feel Māori need the electorates anymore, or they feel the roll excludes non-Māori. Analyses of the NZ Election Study show that around a third of Māori on the General roll want to have fewer Māori electorates or get rid of them.
4. “No Access”: Access, Representation, & Connection
These participants expressed reservations around the Māori roll given each electorate’s large geographic size (e.g., Te Tai Tonga covers the entire South Island, plus some of Wellington). Some also felt more connected (culturally) to the General electorate representatives, or thought they may better represent them personally.
1. “It was the default option”: Exposure & Familiarity
Some participants stated they were on the General roll because it was more familiar to them, there is more media coverage, or they had been told the Māori roll had less influence. This also includes those influenced by parents, schoolteachers, or whānau. Some participants even expressed that they didn’t know there was a Māori roll.
5. “Because I'm more Pākehā than Māori”
Lastly, some participants were more connected with their non-Māori whakapapa or expressed that they didn’t feel Māori enough to enrol on the Māori electoral roll.
3. “Māori seats are safe seats”: Greater voting power
Similar to people’s reasoning for choosing the Māori roll, also thought their vote was worth more on the General roll, that their local Māori electorate was a safe seat, or to vote for a candidate or candidate from a party who didn’t stand on the Māori roll. Some felt the Māori roll dilutes the power of Māori votes.
Other reasons included accidentally choosing the roll, not remembering, or feeling uncomfortable voting on the Māori roll in a place where they are not mana whenua. Some also expressed a desire to change electoral rolls.
Māori roll knowledge quiz
The survey ended with an optional knowledge quiz (classic professors!).
Around 1,200 of you completed this quiz. We have to remember, the actual level
of knowledge out there is probably lower than this – these results are from a
group who were interested enough to do a quiz. We show these results here to remind you of the answers, and to show what we need to tell whānau and communities about roll choice.
In these results the orange bar represents the correct answer.
Almost 40% who did the quiz thought we could change rolls at any time. The good news for them is that this has changed – from 31st March you will be able to change rolls any time, except the 3 months before a General or Local Election or before a by-election in your area.
A minority of Māori know that the number of Māori electorates increases if more Māori join the Māori roll. This is still true, and the new law means that the number of Māori electorates will be determined based on enrolment numbers at 1st April.
