Poll to Decide Whether Palmerston North City Should Be Divided into One Or More Māori Wards

Palmerston North City Council today received a petition calling for a poll to countermand the resolution made by the Council on 24 October 2017 to establish a Māori ward or wards. The petition has been validated as being signed by at least five percent of eligible voters.

A poll will now be held to decide whether Palmerston North City should be divided into one or more Māori wards. The postal vote poll is to be held on Saturday 19 May using the first past the post electoral system.

The result of the poll will be binding on Palmerston North City Council.

If the preferred option is that Palmerston North City should be divided into one or more Māori wards, then a Māori ward or wards will be established for Palmerston North City Council for the Council elections to be held in 2019 and 2022. Otherwise, no Māori wards will be established for these elections.

A Public Notice of the Poll is being published on Friday 23 February.

The voting period for this poll is Friday 27 April to Saturday 19 May 2018.

Electoral Officer John Annabell says a preliminary electoral roll for the poll can be inspected at the PNCC Civic Administration Building, Customer Service Centre and the city libraries during normal operating hours from Friday 23 February to Friday 23 March 2018.

Electors may enrol or amend their enrolment details on the residential electoral roll by:

• Completing an enrolment form available at Post-Shops, City Libraries or City Council Customer Service Centre.
• Calling 0800 (ENROL NOW) 0800 36 76 56
• Visiting the elections website www.elections.org.nz

Updates to the parliamentary electoral roll close at 5pm on Friday 23 March 2018.

Applications for registration as a ratepayer elector are to be made on the non-resident ratepayer enrolment form available from the Palmerston North City Council Electoral Officer and must be returned to the Electoral Officer before 5pm Friday 23 March 2018.

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