A bill currently in front of the Kansas House and one in front of the Kansas Senate drew opposition from the Junction City Commission Tuesday night.

The commission signed a resolution in opposition for House Bill 2227 and Senate Bill 211, which would change how local elections are held.

HB 2227 would change when local elections are held. Currently local elections are held in the spring of odd numbered years, the bill would switch that to the fall of even numbered years.

Commissioner Pat Landes explained he wasn’t fully opposed to switching the election date.

“Our voter turnout is horrible. I mean it’s 16 or 17 percent at best. If it is in the fall when the other elections are going on, yeah the ballots going to be a little longer, but those elections typically have a better turnout than the ones in the spring,” Landes said.

SB 211 did get more opposition from the commission. The bill would make local elections partisan instead of bi-partisan.

Mayor Cecil Aska explained he thought that making elections partisan may deter people from running for local office.

“I like the non-partisan of these types of elections. I think it brings more people to want to run because you’re not obligated to one party,” Aska said.

The commission voted 4-0 in favor of signing the resolution of opposition, Commissioner Mick McCallister was absent from the meeting.