Kaikoura will vote on a Maori ward after the required 300 signatures on a petition for a vote were validated today.

The Kaikoura District Council decided on November 22 to proceed with a Maori ward and gave notice of the right of 5 percent of electors, a total of 300 people, to demand a poll.

Signature collectors found strong support for a vote, with most of the 373 signatures collected in the past few days, Hobson’s Pledge spokesman Don Brash said today.

Petition forms were sent in by early afternoon and Electionz.com had the signatures validated within a couple of hours. The vote must be held within 90 days.

Kaikoura is the fourth district in which a vote has been confirmed.

Manawatu required 1004 signatures and delivered 1600 signatures to the council last week, Western Bay of Plenty required 1708 signatures and delivered 4051, Whakatane required 1161 signatures and delivered 1800.

Validation of 3776 signatures is awaited for Palmerston North where 2727 signatures are required.