Tāmaki Makaurau by-election candidates Peeni Henare and Orriini Kaipara. Photo: RNZ / The Hui
Labour says it will be "pulling out all the stops" while Te Pāti Māori will be "going hard on the ground" to get people out to vote in the last few days of the Tāmaki Makaurau by-election, as concerns are raised of low voter turnout.
As of Tuesday this week, the Electoral Commission (EC) said 3681 ordinary votes had been cast in the by-election, not including special or overseas votes. Nearly 44,000 people were enrolled to vote in this electorate.
Voter turnout was usually lower in by-elections, the most recent being in Port Waikato in 2023 with a turnout of 35.9 percent of the 52470 people enrolled, and Hamilton West in 2022 with 31.4 percent of the 48,487 people enrolled.
In 2013, voter turnout for the Ikaroa-Rāwhiti by-election was 35.7 percent of the 34,008 people enrolled.
The EC pointed out the Port Waikato by-election was soon after the general election, and awareness was high.
During the general election, 63.4 percent of eligible Tāmaki Makaurau voters turned out in 2023 - the lowest of the Māori electorates.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins acknowledged turnout had been low so far and said "we've got work to do".
He said Labour would be "pulling out all the stops" to get people to the polling booth over the next couple of days.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Peeni Henare, who was campaigning to reclaim the Māori electorate, said he was concerned the numbers were low and the focus now would be motivating people to vote.
"We'll continue to door knock, phone canvas, we've got crews ready to go and pick people up, to literally take them and support them to go and vote."
He said there was a big team working on it, and a lot of messaging over the next few days.
Co-leaders of Te Pāti Māori had similar concerns, with Rawiri Waititi saying the party was trying to "get people to the booths, making sure that people participate".
"We must be on those streets. We must be getting into those communities, and we must be talking to the whānau."
He made it clear speaking to media was not a priority.
"This is not where our people are going to get to the booths, and so with all due respect to the media, this is where we're going to make a difference: on the streets, on the ground, on the pavement, doing all the hard mahi."
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
For some though, it might be a matter of indecision.
Jess from Auckland told RNZ on Wednesday she was still considering her choice, and there were "strategic angles" being discussed by her peers and whānau.
She said she wanted to support the Māori party, but was torn between the candidates.
"They're just so different, and they provide really different skills and experiences."
She also acknowledged it was a lot for people to digest.
"Everyone's just trying to do their best to share their thoughts and opinions.
"There's a bit of a mix out there of people that are just really pushing to get out and vote, and I feel like there's some that are just feeling a little bit confused or unsure."
Kauri, originally from Ruatōria, was washing windows at an intersection in Manukau on Tuesday. He told RNZ he was not registered on any roll.
He lived in Botany, which was part of the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate, but had not heard of the by-election.
On Labour, he said he had "heard of them", on Te Pāti Māori, he said did not know anyone.
"Politics eh," he said, "I don't know none of them."
Voting issues?
Te Pāti Māori has also raised issues of people facing barriers to vote.
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said there were "polling booths that aren't opening up on regular days, there are some with roadworks, some that whanau aren't able to get to, some that aren't being used".
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
Last week, some of the support crew on Oriini Kaipara's campaign told RNZ about other barriers voters were facing, such as a lack of access to information about the by-election, and voting booths being open at inconvenient times like during work hours.
Jen Martin said many voters were also confused and unsure if they were eligible to vote.
"They're unsure about how to go about becoming enrolled, if they're not enrolled - there's a lot of anxiety," she said.
Martin was worried about people being put off after being told they were not in the system - potentially because their details, such as their address, had not been updated.
"If it's too hard, they're just not gonna keep coming back and try and do it."
Fay Peke agreed.
"Imagine walking into a sterile room where you recognise no one, and you've finally been brave enough to get there, and then you say your name, your first and last name, your date of birth, and you're not on the roll," she said, "Then what?".
Peke felt there were assumptions made that everyone would be able to access a phone or data to get on social media, or assumptions around congregating at churches or libraries.
"That's where most of the voting booth locations have seemed to have fallen."
She also spoke of certain booths being open on certain days, or for a certain amount of hours, making it difficult for those working through those hours.
Deputy chief executive operations at the Electoral Commission, Anusha Guler, told RNZ it had made a concerted effort to make sure voting places were accessible across Tāmaki Makaurau, including where people live and work.
"We have voting places in maraes, schools, libraries, churches, community halls, universities, the whistle mall and the supermarket."
There were a total of 115 voting place locations offering more than 2500 voting hours, including on weekends and evenings. There are also 14 whānau-centred voting places where people coul vote in te reo Māori or English.
But she acknowledged the days and hours advance voting places were open varied, and said the commission was aware of roadworks outside one voting place. The access point had been updated on its website.
These details were available in EasyVote packs which were sent to everyone enrolled in the electorate.
Guler said the commission also sought feedback from registered political parties on the proposed locations of voting places before confirming the final list of advance and election day voting places.
She acknowledged lower turnout in by-elections could be due to the fact there was more coverage of general elections right across the country, and more awareness, whereas a bylection was confined to a specific electorate.
On election day, this Saturday 6 September, 84 voting places would be open across Auckland from 9am to 7pm, when polls closed.
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