The Dunedin City Council has voted to support changes allowing Maori to freely change between the two electoral rolls.
Under the current law, voters can only switch between the Maori and general rolls within a set period, once every five to six years.
The Electoral (Maori Electoral Option) Legislation Bill proposes to change that.
At the council meeting, Mayor Aaron Hawkins said changing the rules would allow people to participate in democracy in a way that worked for them "without being constrained by the system which currently is particularly inflexible".
In response to a question by Cr Lee Vandervis about what the changes hoped to address, council Maori partnerships and policy general manager Jeanette Wikaira said the inequity in accessing democratic processes by Maori.
"If you’re on the Maori roll, you’re generally stuck on the Maori roll for two election cycles.
"It’s inflexible as it doesn’t allow for a person of Maori descent who is on either to have full access to voting in the way they would like to," Ms Wikaira said.
All 11 councillors present voted in favour of the submission.
The council’s submission will now go to Parliament's’s justice select committee for consideration.
Otakou Runanga upoko (head) Edward Ellison said any legislative change that allowed more clear representation of Maori views would be a positive change.
"I think making that ease of change at any time would be a positive step," Mr Ellison said.
Under the current rules, he believed there was not a high participation rate in general elections by Maori, or those of Maori descent.
"It may help to encourage Maori to participate in voting more."
There was no current plan to ask for Maori wards on the Dunedin City Council, he said.
