The Ōpōtiki District Council has decided to include Māori wards in the local body elections of 2025 and 2028. Māori wards aim to ensure Māori representation and voice in the council. In these wards, individuals on the Māori electoral roll vote for their councillors, just as those on the general roll vote for councillors in general wards. In the Ōpōtiki district, the population is roughly split between those on the general roll and the Māori roll.
Ōpōtiki Mayor David Moore stated that the decision was based on the importance of voting rights at the council table. He believes that better community outcomes can be achieved when more people see their views represented in the council. He hopes that the introduction of Māori wards will increase voter turnout and encourage more people to run for elections.
However, Mayor Moore clarified that Māori wards will not replace other methods of engagement with Ōpōtiki’s three iwi (tribal) organizations. He mentioned that other options, like sub-committees or Memorandums of Understanding, were discussed to bring a Māori voice to the table, but these options do not come with voting rights.
The council’s next steps include conducting a Representation Review in 2024. This review will consider factors such as the number of elected members, how they should be elected, and whether they should be elected from wards or across the whole district. The review will also examine the boundaries and names of wards and other communities of interest.
Mayor Moore encouraged the Ōpōtiki community to participate in the process next year, stating that the decision is a significant step forward. He emphasized that the review will determine the practical implications of this decision, such as the number of seats needed to ensure transparency and representation.
