▁general ▁elect or ates ▁fit ▁into ▁any ▁one ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ate . ▁ ▁M ā ori ▁elect oral ▁boundaries ▁are ▁super im posed ▁over ▁the ▁elect oral ▁boundaries ▁used ▁for ▁general ▁elect or ates ; ▁thus ▁every ▁part ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁simultaneously ▁belongs ▁both ▁in ▁a ▁general ▁seat ▁and ▁in ▁a ▁M ā ori ▁seat . ▁Short ly ▁after ▁each ▁census ▁all ▁registered ▁M ā ori ▁elect ors ▁have ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁choose ▁whether ▁they ▁are ▁included ▁on ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁or ▁General ▁elect or ate ▁roll s . ▁Each ▁five - year ly ▁M ā ori ▁Elect oral ▁Option ▁determ ines ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁one ▁or ▁two ▁elections . ▁ ▁Est ab lish ment ▁ ▁The ▁establishment ▁of ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ▁came ▁about ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁during ▁the ▁term ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Parliament ▁with ▁the ▁Ma ori ▁Represent ation ▁Act , ▁draft ed ▁by ▁Nap ier ▁member ▁of ▁parliament ▁Donald ▁Mc Le an . ▁Parliament ▁passed ▁the ▁Act ▁only ▁after ▁length y ▁debate , ▁it ▁was ▁passed ▁during ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁war fare ▁between ▁the ▁Government ▁and ▁several ▁North ▁Island ▁M ā ori ▁tribes , ▁and ▁was ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁reduce ▁conflict ▁between ▁the ▁races ▁in ▁future . ▁The ▁act ▁originally ▁agreed ▁to ▁set ▁up ▁four ▁elect or ates ▁spe cially ▁for ▁M ā ori ▁three ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁Island ▁and ▁one ▁covering ▁the ▁whole ▁South ▁Island . ▁The