It argued in favour of Māori wards, saying: ‘Establishing Māori wards and constituencies provides an inclusive and democratic avenue for councils to collaborate with Māori, fostering positive relationships and ensuring decisions benefit the entire community.’ That is a political judgment, not a factual explanation. Others can make those arguments if they wish, but it is not the role of the Electoral Commission to do so, directly or by proxy. Voters clicking through from the Commission’s website could easily be forgiven for thinking they’re still on the official Electoral Commission page. Screenshots of the link from the Electoral Commission site to the LGNZ site can be seen here. Correspondence between a member of the public and the Electoral Commission about this issue prior to voting opening can be read here.