Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Poll shows most Maori voters still prefer Labour

Updated at 5:10 pm on 2 October 2011

A poll of Maori voters shows more than half of those surveyed believe the Maori Party has represented them well.

But despite that, the party is still well behind Labour in the party vote in both the general and Maori seats.

The Television New Zealand Marae Investigates Digipoll shows about 55% of the 1002 Maori voters polled thought the Maori Party had represented them well.

And 68% accepted the party's position that compromise was worthwhile to ensure they had a seat at the cabinet table.

But the party only took 22% of the party vote in the poll, with Labour taking 38%, and the Mana Party 8.5%.

When voters were asked how they would cast their electorate vote - 37.5% opted for the Maori Party, 35.1% for Labour and 13.8% for Mana.

The poll has a margin of error of 3.1%.

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