“Moving local elections to November might increase the number of votes cast in those races, but it would do nothing to enhance voter engagement or education. Local races and local issues are likely to get lost in the bigger state and national campaigns and many people will be voting for local candidates they know little or nothing about. Allowing voters to check a single box to vote a straight-party ticket, as some have proposed, would give voters an opportunity to cast purely partisan votes for local candidates without even having to read their names on the ballot.

“The apathy that voters have shown toward local elections certainly is worthy of concern, but combining local elections with state and national contests isn’t the right remedy. Other steps, such as increased use of mail ballots, are worth exploring before throwing out the current system for an alternative that presents a whole different set of problems for voters and election officials.”

Read more here: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2015/apr/09/editorial-voter-apathy/?opinion