The Electoral Commission's head admits he didn't properly weigh up the decision to have a polling booth at a Marae run by a candidate

The Public Service Commission's investigating an accusation Manurewa Marae misused Census data to help Te Pati Maori's campaign.

Candidate "Takutai Tarsh Kemp won the local Tamaki Makaurau electorate - and was Marae chief executive.

Electoral Commission chief executive Karl Le Quesne has told Parliament's justice committee they knew there was risk.

He says they erred on the side of wanting to reach as many people in the community as possible, and the Marae was well known.