Māori Ward Poll Information
What is the Māori Ward Poll?
Alongside the 2025 local elections, Whakatāne District voters will vote in a binding poll on whether to keep or remove the Māori wards for future elections. This poll will determine the ward structure for the 2028 and 2031 triennial elections.
Poll question: Whether to keep or remove the Māori wards for the Whakatāne District Council.
Poll closes: 12 noon, Saturday 11 October 2025 (same as election day)
What Māori wards mean?
Māori wards are electoral areas where councillors are elected specifically by voters enrolled on the Māori Electoral Roll. These wards provide dedicated Māori representation on council.
- Māori ward councillors are elected by voters on the Māori Electoral Roll
- General ward councillors are elected by voters on the General Electoral Roll
- All councillors, regardless of which ward they are elected from, represent the whole district and have equal status and voting rights
- The mayor is elected "at large" by all voters regardless of which electoral roll they're on
Current Māori ward structure in Whakatāne District
Whakatāne District Council currently has three Māori wards, established following a representation review undertaken in 2021:
- Rangitāiki Māori Ward - 1 councillor
- Kāpū-te-rangi Māori Ward - 1 councillor
- Toi ki Uta Māori Ward - 1 councillor
The district also has three general wards:
- Whakatāne-Ōhope General Ward - 4 councillors
- Te Urewera General Ward - 1 councillor
- Rangitāiki General Ward - 2 councillors
This gives a total of 10 councillors plus the mayor.
Why are we having this poll?
Legislation enacted in 2024 requires all local authorities who established Māori wards or Māori constituenices after 2020, without holding a public poll, to hold a poll with their 2025 local elections.
What the poll results mean
If the majority votes to keep Māori wards:
- Māori wards will remain in place for the 2028 and 2031 elections
- The current three Māori wards will continue
- The 2027/2028 representation review must include Māori ward(s) in any proposed arrangements
If the majority votes to remove Māori wards:
- Māori wards cannot be reestablished for at least the 2028 and 2031 elections
- The 2027/2028 representation review will not include Māori ward options
- Council could not establish Māori wards again until after the 2031 election
Important notes
For the 2025 Election:
- Existing Māori wards remain in place regardless of the poll
- The poll result does not affect the 2025 election structure
- Current Māori ward candidates and voters will participate as normal
Representation Review requirements:
- Council must complete a representation review at least once every six years
- The last review was conducted in 2021/2022
- The next review will take place in 2027/2028
- The poll outcome will determine what options can be considered in that review
Who can vote in the poll?
All enrolled electors in the Whakatāne District can vote in this poll, regardless of whether they are on the Māori Electoral Roll or the General Electoral Roll.