Hamilton voters will soon have their say on the future of Maaori representation in our city.
A binding poll will be held alongside this year’s election asking whether Hamilton’s Kirikiriroa Maaori Ward should continue beyond the 2028 election.
The poll is required by central government. Unlike the election – where voters rank candidates – the Maaori ward poll will be a simple tick-box question.
All voters can participate in the poll and will be asked to tick either ‘I vote to keep Maaori wards’ or ‘I vote to remove Maaori wards’.
The Kirikiriroa Maaori Ward was established after community engagement in 2021 and includes two citywide seats.
Maaori wards, like Maaori seats in Parliament, were established to provide dedicated representation for Maaori.
Voting in the poll opens on Tuesday 9 September 2025 and closes at midday on Saturday 11 October 2025.
The poll is Hamilton’s opportunity to decide whether to keep or remove its Maaori ward.
The result of the poll will come into effect at the 2028 Hamilton City Council election.
For more information, visit hamilton.govt.nz/poll.
Pootitake-here moo te waati Maaori ki Kirikiriroa
Akuanei, ka puta te kupu aa ngaa kaipooti o Kirikiriroa moo te waaheke o ngaa turu Maaori ki roto a Kirikiriroa.
Ka haere ngaatahi te pootitake-here me te pootitanga whaanui me te paatai mehemea ka tuu, kaaore raanei ngaa waari Maaori ki tua atu I te 2028 tau.
He tohu anoo noo te kawanatanga ki teenei pootitake-here. Rerekee atu I ngaa pooti whaanui I mua – te raarangi kaitono turu kaikaunihera – he mama te paatai, araa, he pouaka tohua noa iho.
Ka taea e ngaa kaipooti katoa te pooti me te paatai ki te tohu I te ‘Ka tautoko ki mau tonu te Waari Maaori’ ranei ‘Ka pooti au kia mukua te Waari Maaori’.
I whakanohoia te waari Maaori ki Kirikiriroa naa runga I te uiuitanga haapori I te tau 2021, aa, me ngaa turu e rua a taone whaanui.
He rite te waari Maaori ki te turu Maaori kei te whare paaremete, ka noho hei maangai Maaori tuturu nei.
Ka taea te tuku pooti mai I Tuurei 9 o Hepetema 2025, aa, ka kaati hei te poupoutanga o te raa a te Raahoroi 11 Oketopa 2025.
Kei a Kirikiriroa te pooti mehemea ka tuu, ka hinga raanei te waari Maaori.
Ka mana te whiringa pooti waari Maaori mai i te whiringa pooti 2028
Kei konei eetehi atu koorero hamilton.govt.nz/poll.