Māori Ward Referendum
As part of the 2025 local government elections, the Manawatū District Council will be holding a binding referendum on the future of its Māori ward (Ngā Tapuae o Mātangi).
Everyone enrolled in the Manawatū District, whether on the general roll or Māori roll, is eligible to vote in the referendum.
Voters will be asked:
- Whether the Council should keep or remove the Māori Ward.
- Whether Horizons Regional Council should keep or remove their two Māori Constituencies.
Regional councils have constituencies, while city and district councils have wards.
Why is there a referendum?
In 2024, the Government amended the Local Electoral Act 2001, requiring councils with Māori wards or constituencies to hold a binding referendum in 2025, unless one has already been held.
- Note: This referendum will not affect the 2025 election. The Council elected in October 2025 will include a Māori ward councillor. The outcome of the referendum will determine whether the Māori ward continues in the 2028 elections and beyond.
The referendum will be held alongside the 2025 local elections. Voting papers will be delivered from 9 September 2025, and voting closes at 12 noon on 11 October 2025.
What happens after the referendum?
The result is binding. This means:
- ✔️ If the majority vote to keep the Māori ward, it will remain in place for the 2028 election and beyond.
- ❌ If the majority vote to remove the Māori ward, it will be disestablished from the 2028 election onwards.
History of Ngā Tapuae o Mātangi Māori Ward
Visit the following link for information about our previous Māori Ward and Representation Review: 2022 Māori Ward & Representation Review | Manawatū District Council
Frequently Asked Questions
Māori wards and constituencies in local government:
- Are similar to Māori electorates in central government.
- Provide dedicated representation for Māori.
- Allow voters on the Māori Electoral Roll to vote for Māori ward candidates, instead of candidates in other wards (e.g., the Feilding ward and Rural ward).
Similar to Councillors elected in other wards, Māori ward councillors represent all residents of the district once elected.
Yes. Voters on the general electoral roll cannot vote for Māori ward candidates, and voters on the Māori elector roll cannot vote for general ward candidates (i.e., Feilding ward or Rural ward candidates).
Anybody can stand to run as a Māori Ward Councillor, regardless of whether they are enrolled on the general electoral roll or Māori elector roll, or whether they are of Māori descent or not.
No. The Remuneration Authority sets a pool of funds to be used for paying elected members, and the amount of this pool of money is unaffected by the number of Councillors, or whether there is a Māori Ward or not.
For example, if a Council chooses to increase its number of elected members, then each Councillor will on average be paid less than before, as the pool of money set to pay them remains the same.
No. Voters on the Māori electoral roll can only vote for candidates standing in the Māori ward, just as voters on the general electoral roll (Feilding and Rural wards) can only vote for candidates in their respective areas. However, the extent of influence that voters have depends on each election.
For example, in the current 2025 election there is only one candidate for the single Māori ward seat, which means that candidate will be elected unopposed. As a result, voters on the Māori electoral roll will not be able to vote for any Council candidates (as the Mayor will also be elected unopposed).
By contrast, voters in the Feilding and Rural ward have several candidates to choose from. In previous elections across the country, however, the situation has been reversed, with the number of general ward candidates matching the number of available seats.
Information and Candidate Profiles Booklet
The booklet is sent out with voting papers and is designed to reflect the voting documents electors receive. In this year’s election, both the Mayoral and Ngā Tapuae o Mātangi Māori Ward elections were uncontested. Under national electoral practice, profiles for uncontested candidates are not included in the booklet.
The Māori Ward candidate was elected unopposed, which means there was no election for that position. The booklet is designed to mirror the voting papers, and when there is no election, no profile appears.
The Mayoral election was also uncontested, so the Mayor was elected unopposed. Just like the Māori Ward, because there was no election, the Mayor’s profile does not appear in the booklet.
No. This is not a mistake, nor a Council decision. This is the standard national practice that has been in place since 2001, and applies whenever elections are uncontested.
No. Manawatū District Council has taken great care to remain neutral on the Māori ward referendum. The absence of the Māori Ward candidate’s profile is simply because the election was uncontested, not because of any position taken by Council.
Yes. This election, twenty other councils using the same electoral services provider also have uncontested candidates who do not appear in their booklets.
Yes. The law does not require uncontested candidates to be included in the profile booklet, but the local government sector may wish to consider this for future elections.
Details about all candidates, including those elected unopposed, are available on Council’s website.
Further information
For more on the elections and the referendum, including voting information, see the Elections page. The VoteLocal website also includes information on Māori ward/constituency referendums across the country: About Māori wards and constituencies - Vote 25 | Pōti 25
If you have questions about the referendum or your enrolment, please contact:
Ash Garstang
Deputy Electoral Officer
06 323 0000
ash.garstang@mdc.govt.nz