Dear Editor
It seems clear from this article that the Government intends Maori to be able to switch rolls before each of the Local and Central elections – so as to try to maximise the number of Maori elected.
‘Maori voters will only be able to vote for Maori ward candidates in the 2022 local elections if they are already on the Maori electoral roll – and the next opportunity to switch rolls is currently 2024.
‘Justice Minister Kris Faafoi says the impact on Maori voters in local body elections is a clear example of the Maori Electoral Option failing to provide a meaningful choice of roll.
‘The Option allows Maori voters to switch between the general and Maori rolls only after each five-yearly census, but it’s under review as part of targeted electoral changes to support participation in the 2023 general election.
‘The changes won’t be made in time for next year’s council elections, meaning Maori voters on the general roll won’t be able to vote for candidates standing for newly-created Maori ward seats. …’
rnz
So Maori can be Maori one day and non-Maori the next?
So Maoriness is something you put on one day, like a raincoat to suit the weather conditions, and then remove the next day, when it turns fine? This is crazy ‘Alice in Wonderland’ stuff and highlights the absurd idea of having two rolls based on race.
Surely in the ‘logic’ of race-based voting, the roll you are on is either fixed at birth, or you can choose when you first enrol and it then cannot ever be changed.
Then again the Government is also considering allowing your birth gender to be ‘switchable,’ so the craziness is consistent.
Obviously, a fairer, but also stupid system, would allow non-Maori to also switch to the Maori roll before each election to counter the racial imbalance.
When will the nightmare end? 2023 is so far away!
William Haze
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