Whanganui’s first Māori ward election is under scrutiny after an embarrassing blunder left Māori candidate profiles out of official voting packs.
One candidate has called for the Māori ward referendum running alongside the election to be scrapped, saying the omission puts the integrity of the binding result in question.
Voting papers delivered this week list the names of the five Māori ward candidates – Kiritahi Firmin, Julie Herewini, Geoff Hipango, Hayden Potaka and Phil (Bear) Reweti – but their official statements are missing from the candidate booklet sent to every voter.
External electoral officer for the Whanganui District Council election, Warwick Lampp, of electionz.com, said he was made aware of the omission late on Tuesday morning.
“This was simply human error, which missed this in the proofing and printing process,” he told Local Democracy Reporting.
“I have put in place steps to remedy it by media release and individual letter to each elector on the Māori roll. I have personally phoned each of the five candidates to apologise.”
The five candidates are vying for the council’s first two Māori ward seats.
All 4810 Māori ward electors are being sent an individual letter with the candidate profiles included.
“While the error is unfortunate and regrettable, by taking action quickly, I believe I have taken necessary steps to ensure that the integrity of the election is maintained,” Lampp said.
But Māori ward candidates say the damage is already done.
‘Feels like a kick in the guts’
Candidate Julie Herewini said she was “absolutely gutted”.
“We have worked incredibly hard to raise the profile of the Māori ward seats, and to just not be included feels like a kick in the guts,” she said.
“This has left a sour taste in my mouth. We were already up against a system that has historically not represented us and this incident just highlights that further.”
Herewini said the omission undermined voters’ ability to make an informed choice.
“It hugely disadvantages our voters. This omission breaches section 29 of the Local Electoral Regulations.”
She said the omission brings the whole process into disrepute and called for the council to scrap the Māori ward referendum running alongside the election.
“This seriously undermines our local election process and will add fuel to the fire of the mistrust our people have of this system.
“One has to question how such a huge oversight can occur, and the response to the oversight has been underwhelming.”
‘The damage has been done’
Candidate Geoff Hipango said voters now lacked crucial information.
“The voting papers do not allow voters to get a sense of the candidate and what they have to offer as a point of difference.
“The damage has been done.”
Hipango said the omission placed Māori ward candidates at a disadvantage compared with general ward candidates.
“It’s hard enough to place yourself out there and campaign, but this is a major mistake in an election year where for the first time our Māori ward is entering local body politics. The real damage is the referendum process could be challenged if not supported.”
Corrective action should extend to all voters, Hipango said, because the whole electorate was voting in the referendum on whether to keep Māori wards.
“If the referendum is not supported, does this bring into question the integrity of the referendum and if it has been compromised?”
‘A big mistake’
Candidate Kiritahi Firmin called the omission “a muck-up”.
“I’m very, very disappointed at such a big mistake. They’ve got to fix it.”
She said the omitted profiles should be distributed district-wide, not just to Māori roll voters.
“All of us who are running for the Māori ward here in Whanganui have really tried to push the importance of the referendum to keep the Māori wards.
“That is important not just to those on the Māori roll but to everyone so that they understand what we stand for and why the referendum is so important.”
Whanganui mayor Andrew Tripe said the mistake was disappointing and should be remedied as soon as possible.
He said the missing information should be distributed to the whole community, not just those on the Māori roll.
“The reality is that people need all the information to have an informed view around the Māori ward referendum.”
Council boss demands action
Whanganui District Council’s chief executive says the omission of Māori Ward candidate profiles from official voting packs is “incredibly disappointing”.
David Langford has demanded urgent action from elections management services company electionz.com to put things right.
The private company, contracted to run the election, had assured him it had already started the process of sending the missing information to voters, he said.
Langford was due to meet with the company’s managing director this afternoon.
“ElectionNZ is employed to run the election process and the council’s role is to promote the election and encourage voter participation,” Langford said.
He warned the blunder could undermine confidence in this year’s Māori Ward referendum.
“While this error was not a council mistake, I apologise to our Māori ward candidates and voting community.
“This is not a mana-enhancing way to treat our Māori ward candidates, who’ve taken the courageous step of putting themselves forward,” he said.
Langford acknowledged electionz.com’s swift apology and backed calls for a review of the incident.
“Examining mistakes is the only way we learn from them, so they are not repeated.”
Whanganui mayor Andrew Tripe said the mistake was disappointing and should be remedied as soon as possible.
He said the missing information should be distributed to the whole community, not just those on the Māori roll.
“The reality is that people need all the information to have an informed view around the Māori ward referendum.”
First time for Māori wards
Whanganui councillor and Māori ward advocate Charlotte Melser said the error undermined both the Māori ward election and the referendum.
“This is the first time Whanganui district will be electing Māori ward councillors. Our candidates are not only campaigning for their own personal election, they are also campaigning on the validity of having a Māori ward.
“For voters who might be on the fence as to how to vote in the Māori ward referendum, it is important that they have the opportunity to read what the Māori ward candidates have to say.”
Only five Māori councillors have been elected in Whanganui over the last 150 years, despite Māori making up more than 27% of the district’s population, Melser said.
Candidate statements and videos are available on the council’s website, but Herewini said that was no substitute for the official booklet already in voters’ hands.
“Those who have received their voting packs may have already voted,” she said.
Voting opened on Tuesday, September 9. Voting packs are being delivered to households across the district and polls close at noon on Saturday, October 11. Progress results will be announced later that day.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
