One in five Maori in latest polls are undecided voters - will they even vote?

A Maori Television Poll poll out tonight gives Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia a huge lead over Labour's Errol Mason in Te Tai Haururu. Turia polled 79 percent, with Mason 19 percent. Yet the Labour Party lead the party vote 47 to 33 percent which is different to the previous two Maori electorate polls which are evenly split between the Maori Party and Labour.

But 17 percent are undecided voters, and 31 percent of voters aged between 18-24 are undecided as well. That's a high proportion. I wonder if many of them will bother to vote the week after next. Also 2 percent through Tim Barnett should be Prime Minister!

This follows a poll yesterday in Waiariki where two thirds of Waiariki voters currently support Te Ururoa Flavell from the Maori Party as their local Maori MP (66 per cent) – more than double Labour's Mita Ririnui on 29 per cent. The party vote was pretty much neck and neck with 40 percent supporting Labour and 38 percent supporting the Maori Party. Yet 20 percent are undecided.

In Tamaki Makaurau, Pita Sharples is on 80 percent, with undecides coming in second with 14 percent. Labour's Louisa Wall is on 11 percent - probably the only Labour candidate who is polling less than the undecideds!

The next political poll will focus on the Maori electorate of Te Tai Tokerau (Tuesday October 28). The last poll had Labours Kelvin Davis on 17 percent wiith Hone Hariwira in 29 percent with the Maori Party leading the party vote. The following day I`ll have the Te Tai Tonga result, then the Hauraki Waikato (Tuesday November 4); and Ikaroa Rawhiti (Wednesday November 5).