More young people want to vote in New Zealand’s Māori electorates. What are they and how do they work?

Growing numbers of young voters are signing up to the Māori electoral roll as debate flares over the need for dedicated seats ahead of November’s election

More young people have signed up to vote in Māori electorates, new figures from the electoral commission show, as New Zealand prepares for an election this year.

The rise comes after years of tense relations between Indigenous New Zealanders and the centre-right coalition government. The latest figures show 58% of eligible 18- to 24-year-olds have registered for the Māori roll, up from 50% in 2023.

What are the Māori electorates? How do they work – and how certain is their future in the New Zealand political landscape?

There are seven Māori electorates – or seats – in New Zealand’s 120-seat parliament. You need to be Māori to vote in these electorates, but anyone can stand in these seats.