Jones closes in on Sharples

Maori Party co-leader leader Pita Sharples’ 7,540 majority in the Tamaki Makaurau electorate appears to have eroded to about 1,140.

An Horizon Research Maori Panel poll shows Sharples would get 47.8% of candidate votes in the largely Auckland-centred Tamaki Makaurau electorate while his new Labour opponent, Shane Jones, would get 42.1%.

This would see Mr Sharples’ vote drop from 12,876 of the 19,994 candidate votes cast at the last election to about 9,557.

Jones would lift the Labour candidate vote from 5,336 at the last election to about 8,417.

In the party vote contest in the seat Labour would remain a clear winner, attracting 44% support to the Maori Party’s 16.4%. At the last election Labour won 10,084 party votes cast in the electorate  to the Maori Party’s  5,801.

Among Maori nationwide, in all electorates (general and Maori), the Maori Party attracts 27.2% party vote support, Labour 26.7%, National 14.5% and the Greens 8.1%.

Results are for 1,472 respondents nationwide, between March 8 and 31, 2011. Results are weighted by age, gender, region, personal income highest education to provide a representative sample of Maori population 18+. The maximum margin of error at a 95% confidence level is +/- 2.6%.

For further information please contact Grant McInman, Manager, Horizon Research Ltd

E-mail: gmcinman@horizonresearch.co.nz

Telephone: +64 21 076 2040