Fewer than half of all Ngapuhi hapu have chosen to support the tribe's Treaty settlement process - by nominating people to direct it.
Nominations close at 5pm on Thursday for hapu representatives on Tuhoronuku, the Independent Mandated Authority.
Electionz, the company running the process, said that as of Wednesday, more than 60 hapu kaikorero nominations had come in from more than 50 hapu.
Ngapuhi has about 120 hapu.
Tuhoronuku's interim chair Sonny Tau said the response is very positive, considering that many hapu listed in the mandate are no longer active.
But opponents of the mandate, including the major sub-tribe Ngati Hine, say the response shows there is major opposition to it.
