 The 1977 electoral redistribution was the most overtly political since the Representation Commission had been established through an amendment to the "Representation Act" in 1886, initiated by Muldoon's National Government.As part of the 1976 census, a large number of people failed to fill out an electoral re-registration card, and census staff had not been given the authority to insist on the card being completed.This had little practical effect for people on the general roll, but it transferred Māori to the general roll if the card was not handed in.