By contrast, opponents including National MPs Chris Penk, Michael Woodhouse, Maureen Pugh, and ACT MP Nicole McKee expressed concerns about tactical roll-switching and questioned the necessity of the legislation.

Many of the submissions regarded the status quo of allowing Māori voters to switch rolls during a four-month period every five to six years as "very narrow and seemingly arbitrary."

[6] During an in-committee parliamentary meeting held on 15 November 2022, the National and ACT parties agreed to support the Māori Electoral Option bill after the Labour Government agreed to prohibit roll switching during the three month period before general and local elections and found an accepted definition for the "Māori electoral population;" giving the Government the 75% majority need to pass the bill into law.

[7][8] Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer criticised the changes, describing them as "second-rate" and a "half pie ka pai" respectively.

Justice Minister Allan said that the Bill would abolish the prior policy of limiting the ability of Māori to switch rolls to a four-month period every five to six years.

National MPs Paul Goldsmith, Mark Mitchell, and ACT MP Karen Chhour thanked the Government for addressing their concerns about the initial version of the legislation and supported the three-month electoral deadline for switching rolls.