Tustin Springs Backward

Almost every city in Orange County has made the perfectly sensible decision to shift once-traditional April municipal elections to June or November of even-numbered years in order to consolidate local balloting with state and federal elections.

Only three--Irvine, Dana Point and Seal Beach--still hold elections on other days. But none had switched elections from November back to April until the Tustin City Council decided to do so Monday.

The decision by the council majority is curious. The council made the shift from April to November for the 1988 election. So why switch back so soon and involve the city in the extra expense of running special elections in off-years?

Mayor Richard B. Edgar, who proposed the switch and was joined in approving it by two other council members, has not adequately explained his reasons for the change. It would move the next city election up seven months, from November, 1990, to April.

Edgar did acknowledge that the change would most likely result in more cost to taxpayers and a significantly lower voter turnout. But he insists there is nothing “political” about the switch. Potential challengers to City Council incumbents, who would have only about four months to organize their pre-election campaigns instead of nearly a year, would probably disagree.

Certainly there was enough disagreement in the community for the council’s decision to be challenged by an immediate referendum effort. That gives Tustin residents until Dec. 20 to gather enough signatures to force the council to either repeal the ordinance switching the election dates, or to call a special election to let the public decide the issue.

Tustin residents should support the referendum drive. And when the issue comes back before the council, it should rescind its action.

The usual argument raised in support of the off-year April elections is that more attention can be focused on local issues because of the smaller ballot. But there is no solid evidence supporting that claim. And the difference in voter participation in November is overwhelming. When elections are held in April, a disappointing 20% turnout is considered heavy. Primary and general elections, held in June and November, usually attract more than three times as many voters.

It makes no civic or economic sense to stay with April elections. It is even more foolish to go back to them without a good reason to justify the switch.