Summarised by Centrist
Takutai Kemp (Te Pāti Māori) won the Tāmaki Makaurau Māori electorate by just 42 votes (0.16%), but results at Manurewa Marae—where Kemp was CEO—are raising questions.
Kemp outperformed Labour’s Peeni Henare by 323 votes at this single polling station, a margin nearly eight times her overall victory and four times higher than at any other location.
Manurewa Marae saw an unusually high turnout, with 930 votes cast—far exceeding other polling places, including the second-largest, Westfield Manukau Mall, with 501 votes. Advance votes at the marae also dwarfed other locations, raising concerns about potential irregularities.
Henare won the next seven largest polling booths, adding to doubts about the integrity of the result. Critics are questioning whether a by-election should be held and whether polling stations with strong partisan ties—such as marae—should be reconsidered to ensure electoral fairness.
