important . ▁The ▁grad ual ▁improvement ▁of ▁M ā ori ▁elections ▁ow es ▁much ▁to ▁long - ser ving ▁M ā ori ▁MP ▁E ru era ▁Ti rik at ene , ▁who ▁himself ▁experienced ▁problems ▁in ▁his ▁own ▁election . ▁From ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁on wards , ▁the ▁voting ▁for ▁M ā ori ▁and ▁general ▁elect or ates ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁day . ▁ ▁Conf usion ▁around ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ▁during ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁general ▁election ▁was ▁revealed ▁in ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁compla ints ▁to ▁the ▁Elect oral ▁Commission . ▁Comp la ints ▁included ▁Elect oral ▁Commission ▁staff ▁at ▁pol ling ▁bo oth s ▁being ▁una ware ▁of ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁roll ▁and ▁ins isting ▁elect ors ▁were ▁un register ed ▁when ▁their ▁names ▁did ▁not ▁appear ▁on ▁the ▁general ▁roll ; ▁Elect oral ▁Commission ▁staff ▁giving ▁incorrect ▁information ▁about ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ; ▁elect ors ▁being ▁given ▁incorrect ▁voting ▁forms ▁and ▁elect ors ▁being ▁told ▁they ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁vote ▁for ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁Party ▁unless ▁they ▁were ▁on ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁roll . ▁ ▁C alls ▁for ▁abol ition ▁Period ically ▁there ▁have ▁been ▁calls ▁for ▁the ▁abol ition ▁of ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁seats . ▁The ▁elect or ates ▁ar oused ▁controvers y ▁even ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁their ▁origin , ▁and ▁given ▁their ▁intended ▁temporary ▁nature , ▁there ▁were ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁attempts ▁to ▁abol ish ▁them .