Iwi Unite as Aotearoa Heads Toward the 2026 General Election

February 2026

Across Aotearoa, iwi are preparing for one of the most crucial elections in recent memory. Over the past two years, Māori communities have watched in horror as a series of political decisions have affected our lives by a Government with Coalition partners that have chosen to extinguish our future by using the power of one man, one vote, to stop the Māori wards system, the disestablishment of the Māori Health Authority, and create shifts in environmental governance.

In response, Māori communities have mobilised with unity and purpose. Hui ā Iwi, Hui ā Motu, Waitangi commemorations, wānanga, and the Toitū Te Tiriti hikoi have all carried a single, unwavering message: Kotahitanga is essential. Not optional. Not symbolic. Essential.

In 2024 the late Kiingi Tūheitia offered a powerful reminder to the motu: “The best protest we can make right now is being Māori - be Māori all day, every day.” His words were more than cultural encouragement; they were a strategic call to collective action. Kotahitanga, he said, is not only our strength but our strategy.

This sentiment continues under the leadership of his daughter, Te Arikinui Kuini Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō, and in her first major address as the new Māori Queen at the September 2025 Koroneihana, she offered a profound shift in perspective moving away from constant protests against government actions to building an independent Māori future, stating, “Māori advancement should not solely be defined by opposition or protest against government policies, but by taking control of our own future through unity and economic development”.

The 2026 General Election is not simply a contest between political parties. It is a defining moment for the future of Te Tiriti, Māori representation, and the wellbeing of generations to come. It is about the protection of our marae, our whenua, our reo, and our mokopuna. It is about ensuring that no one stands alone.

With Parliament passing the Electoral Amendment Act 2025, voters must be aware of key changes. Enrolment now closes 13 days before election day, and unlike the last two elections, voters cannot enrol at a voting place. If you are not enrolled before voting starts, you will not be able to vote.

For Māori voters, the Māori Electoral Option remains crucial. You may choose the Māori roll or general roll when you first enrol, and you can change rolls at any time except during the three months before election day.

As the 7 November 2026 election approaches, iwi leaders are urging whānau to prepare now: enrol early, update your details, and talk about voting at home, at the marae, in the car, or on the sports field. Kotahitanga will shape the future and every vote will matter.

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The iwi Promotions Manager Te Rangi Huata said, “There are two types of people, there are ‘Heaters’, and there are ‘Thermometers’. Heaters change the temperature, and Thermometers merely change with the temperature. We want our people to be heaters, to vote, to make that change happen, and not just thermometers - recording the change” 

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Get Ready to Vote Whānau, Register Now To Vote!