or ates ▁are ▁directly ▁account able ▁to ▁those ▁vot ers , ▁those ▁represent atives ▁are ▁not ▁required ▁to ▁themselves ▁be ▁M ā ori . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁M ā ori ▁gained ▁the ▁right ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁to ▁decide ▁on ▁which ▁elect oral ▁roll ▁they ▁preferred ▁to ▁en rol . ▁Sur pr ising ly , ▁only ▁ 4 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁potential ▁population ▁registered ▁on ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁roll . ▁This ▁reduced ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁calls ▁for ▁the ▁abol ition ▁of ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates , ▁as ▁many ▁pres umed ▁that ▁M ā ori ▁would ▁eventually ▁abandon ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ▁of ▁their ▁own ▁accord . ▁ ▁However ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁elect oral ▁red ist ribution ▁has ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁over t ly ▁political ▁since ▁the ▁Represent ation ▁Commission ▁was ▁established ▁( through ▁an ▁am end ment ▁to ▁the ▁Represent ation ▁Act ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 6 ); ▁the ▁option ▁to ▁decide ▁which ▁roll ▁to ▁go ▁on ▁was ▁introduced ▁by ▁Mul do on ' s ▁National ▁Government . ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁census , ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁people ▁failed ▁to ▁fill ▁out ▁an ▁elect oral ▁re - reg istration ▁card , ▁and ▁census ▁staff ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁given ▁the ▁authority ▁to ▁ins ist ▁on ▁the ▁card ▁being ▁completed . ▁This ▁had ▁little ▁practical ▁effect ▁for ▁people ▁on ▁the ▁general ▁roll , ▁but ▁it ▁transferred ▁M ā ori ▁to ▁the