The Whanganui council’s deputy electoral officer and democracy services manager, Anna Palamountain, said the event would be a chance for people to hear about the reality of being a councillor and learn about the rules for standing for election. “The idea behind having a Māori ward is to increase Māori representation at local government level, as despite making up nearly a quarter of our district’s population, people of Māori descent have historically been under-represented in Whanganui in terms of elected members,” Langford said. “At the same time as they vote for councillors and mayor, voters will be asked whether they support the continuation of a Māori ward in our district or not,” Langford said.
Author: Moana Ellis
Published at: 2025-05-11 22:36:24
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