As voting in Taranaki Māori wards slipped further behind overall turnout, Māori council candidates say boosting whānau voting was never going to happen in one election.
By Local Democracy Reporter Craig Ashworth
But they’re urging Māori voters – and their non-Māori allies – to cast their votes before the deadline of midday Saturday.
After a slow start, a voting surge in general wards on Thursday brought New Plymouth’s overall turnout to level pegging with the voting level two days before polls closed in 2019, at 30%.
A smaller Thursday surge in South Taranaki took the overall turnout to 32%, edging ahead of 2016’s turnout with two days to go, but still short of 2019’s 37% at this stage.
There are no figures for Māori voter turnout, but there was no similar surge in the Māori wards.
Māori ward voting in New Plymouth and South Taranaki had been rising at two-thirds of the overall rate – but the general wards’ leap ahead meant Māori ward turnout slid to just over half the overall turnout rate.
Leanne Horo, standing for South Taranaki’s Te Kūrae Māori ward, said a real disconnect remained between local government and Māori.
“Until Māori wards came through we were the minority in our communities. It’s been a bit hit and miss, whether we have people standing, and whether we get on.”
No expectation of success had meant no voting habit grew – and postal voting was the worst option.
Horo (Ngāruahine, Taranaki, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Maru) has spent 15 years on the board of Taranaki iwi, including time as the chair.
“Our people are used to elections, as in iwi elections, being online.”
“We’re tuned in to doing things in the virtual world. We’ve had special and annual general meetings all virtually – so our people know how to vote like that.”
The unopposed winner of the new Taranaki Regional Council Māori constituency, Bonita Bigham, agrees obstacles to voting remain.
“Especially for our rangatahi: how often do they get a letter in the mail? What the heck is all that about?”
Impediments for young voters hit Māori hardest as their population makeup is much younger than other communities.
Previously a South Taranaki councillor, Bigham (Ngāruahine, Te Ātiawa) now chairs Local Government New Zealand’s Te Maruata committee to boost Māori representation.
“These are generational problems and solutions need to be future-focused and responsive to our people, to help them engage.
“IRD is online, banks are online, I hardly think that skewing local body election is going to be a real high priority for hackers. We need to be more pragmatic.”
New Plymouth mayoral and at-large councillor candidate, Dinnie Moeahu (Te Āti Awa, Ngāruahinerangi, Taranaki) was frustrated local elections hadn’t moved online to meet young people.
“Our iwi have systems where you can vote online, and we made that work for us because we know this is the future of voting.
“I click on an email it took me literally five seconds to vote.”
Moeahu said he was comfortable with the level of Māori voting given distrust of Crown systems.
“There have been efforts by successive governments to suppress the Māori vote. Look at the restrictions on transferring between the Māori and General rolls.”
He said Māori wards will make an impact.
“This is just the beginning. What we are seeing are amazing candidates standing for these positions and their performance will encourage our people to take part.”
Bigham is also philosophical about turnout in the face of disengagement.
“We shouldn’t minimise the major achievement of having more Māori candidates across Māori wards and in terms of the ratio as general candidates.
“That’s where a lot of our energy went: getting people to put themselves forward to stand, recognising the momentum we achieved getting so many Māori wards across the motu.”
But she said votes had a last chance to take leadership in their own hands.
“It’s not too late to assert our mana in our own community by selecting the people who will do a good job representing us – either Māori or tangata Tiriti who support us.”
Moeahu also urged voters to have a say before midday
“We have the opportunity to have our voices heard. You have a say –take the opportunity to make a change.”
Horo said candidates had committed to doing something for the wider community.
“Get behind people. Everyone thinks that someone else will do it.”
“Put your stake in the ground, have your say.”
Voting papers can be returned before midday Saturday at council headquarters and libraries across the region and New Plymouth’s Aquatic Centre and Govett Brewster Gallery.
Even if you aren’t enrolled, you can still make a special vote at council headquarters – it’s quick and painless, but get in well before the noon cut-off.
Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.
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