Fewer Maori voters have signed up to the Maori roll in the Maori Electoral Option than when the last option was held in 2006.
Over the past four months, Maori voters have had the choice of switching between the Maori and General rolls.
Te Ururoa Flavell. Photo: MAORI PARTY
Results released on Monday show that 17,120 Maori voters switched rolls. This year's option saw an increase of 7052 on the Maori roll, compared with nearly 14,914 when the last campaign was held in 2006.
The gain was mainly from new enrolments and, in a marked change from previous options, fewer people transferred from the general to the Maori roll.
The results will be used along with census data to determine how many Maori and General electorates there will be in the next two elections.
Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell said the increase in the Maori roll probably falls short of the numbers required to create another Maori seat.
"We're a little bit disappointed about the campaign that was run. We think it could have been done better to at least try to move towards the gain of another seat. But what we are clear about is that there's a bigger education campaign needed with respect to electoral process."
But Murray Wicks, the Electoral Commission's national manager of enrolment services, defended the campaign.
"Our research certainly shows that during the campaign, our messages were getting through. Maori were aware that the option was on, what the choices were and how to exercise that."
The number of electorates would be announced in October this year.
Labour wants more social media involved
The Labour Party's Maori Affairs spokesperson said the Electoral Commission should use more social media to target young people in the next Maori Electoral Option.
Shane Jones said a growing proportion of Maori voters are young and the commission should use this type of media more effectively to attract them next time.
Mr Jones said the commission should also be able to promote the Maori roll during the campaign, rather than just advertising people's opportunity to switch rolls, and it was disappointing that the next option isn't until 2018.
