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Story: Ngā māngai – Māori representation

Māori on the general and Māori electoral rolls

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Māori on the general and Māori electoral rolls

From 1993 Māori were able to select, initially after each five-yearly census, whether to register on the Māori or the general electoral roll. The number of Māori seats is determined by the number of people registered on the Māori roll. Increased registrations on that roll saw the number of Māori seats rise from four in 1993 to seven from 2002. 

Using this item

Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: Elections New Zealand

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How to cite this page

Rawiri Taonui, Ngā māngai – Māori representation – Effect of Māori seats, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/33910/maori-on-the-general-and-maori-electoral-rolls (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Rawiri Taonui, published 5 June 2012, updated 15 July 2016.