What happens in a boundary review

At the start of the boundary review, the Representation Commission meets to agree on the proposed boundaries and electorate names that will go out for public consultation.

Each electorate has about the same number of people

The Representation Commission makes sure each electorate has about the same number of people. The number of people in each electorate cannot be more than 5 percent larger or 5 percent smaller than its population quota.

The population quotas are the average populations of North Island, South Island and Māori electorates.

Find out how the Government Statistician works out population quotas

The Representation Commission also considers other factors

The Representation Commission also considers:

  • existing electorate boundaries
  • communities of interest — including iwi affiliations in Māori electorates
  • the infrastructure that links communities, such as main roads
  • topographic features such as mountains and rivers
  • projected variations in electoral populations over the next 5 years.

The Commission also looks at whether the names of electorates are still relevant.

The public can have their say on the boundary review

You can have your say on the proposed boundaries and names. Public consultation happens in three stages:

  • written objections
  • written counter-objections
  • public hearings. 

Read objections and counter objections to the 2019 Boundary Review

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