Leaders of cities and towns from across the state are urging Governor Jan Brewer to veto a bill that would force them to consolidate their elections with the state, and hold their elections during even numbered years starting in 2014. From Phoenix, KJZZ’s Mark Brodie reports.

MARK BRODIE: Supporters of the measure say holding all elections at the same time would save money, and increase voter turnout. But Clarkdale Mayor Doug Von Gausig, who’s also the President of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, says voters may not make it to the bottom of a long ballot, where local elections tend to be. He says his town holds its elections in the spring of even-numbered years, and sees voters who care about local issues.

DOUG VON GAUSIG: I think it’s really easy to look at overall voter turnout in your town, and say, ‘well, more people turned out from my community, in order to vote in this election.’ But when you actually look at the number of people that voted on those local issues, you have a different picture.

BRODIE: Von Gausig is one of several local leaders to write to the governor, urging her to veto the bill. Fourteen of the state’s 15 county recorders also oppose the measure - the only exception is the state’s most populous county, Maricopa.