Huntly’s Waahi Paa is serving as a Whare Pōti Māori voting place, opening its doors today, tomorrow, and on election day to encourage the Raahui Pookeka community to cast their votes.
“Kua tuuwhera a Waahi Paa hei waahi pooti. Nau mai, haere mai,” hei taa Waahi Paa kaiaawhina Paaniora Matatahi Poutapu. “He wero nui ki ngaa marae kia haere ki te pooti.”
Waahi Paa is part of a nationwide initiative featuring more than 220 Whare Pōti Māori voting places, which include marae, kura, wānanga, and other community spaces chosen for their cultural significance. This network includes 67 bilingual (reo rua) voting places where voters can complete the voting process in either te reo Māori or English.
Chief Electoral Officer Karl Le Quesne emphasizes the importance of widespread accessibility. “Our voting places are in locations people go in their daily lives including community halls, schools, shopping malls, places of worship, tertiary education providers and marae,” he says.
“It’s important that every eligible New Zealander has the opportunity to vote. Whether you’re in the heart of the city or in a rural area, we will have voting places across the country to make voting as easy as possible, including mobile voting services.”
Additionally, the Electoral Commission has arranged accessible services across the country, including 1,679 fully accessible voting places, New Zealand Sign Language interpreters at six locations, and three voting places featuring quiet times.
“We want to say a big thank you to everyone who is hosting voting places for us to support democracy in their communities,” says Karl Le Quesne.
Want to vote at a Whare Pōti Māori? Visit here to check out the nearest one to you.