EDITORIAL : WRONG TURN A COUNCILMAN'S PROPOSAL TO COMBINE ELECTIONS HAS SERIOUS PROBLEMS AND SHOULD BE DROPPED.

CITY Councilman Joel Wachs wants to combat one of the worst voter turnouts in the city's history by consolidating city elections with federal, state and county elections.

Considering the abysmal lack of interest - only 24 percent of city voters cast ballots Tuesday - the idea seems reasonable at first glance.

The city holds its municipal elections in April and June of odd years, while county, state and federal elections traditionally are held in June and November of even-number years.

Although apathy was also high in last year's presidential election, the theory is that more people will cast votes in the high-profile races, such as the presidential and state elections, than for city offices.

Wachs' heart is in the right place. Voter apathy is deplorable. But his proposal and timing are all wrong.

Lumping all the races together might ensure a higher percentage of voters, but would it really guarantee more participation and public awareness? Probably not.

The problem with Wachs' suggestion is that candidates running for lesser posts, such as trustees for the community college district, would be virtually ignored in one giant election. It's tough enough for these people to get the public's attention in an off-year.

And imagine a ballot that forced voters to wade through the competing state and local initiatives and bond measures, let alone having them sort through all the candidates vying for federal, state and local offices.

We agree with City Councilman Mike Feuer, who chairs the council's Rules and Elections Committee. It's better to wait for two charter reform commissions to complete their work before tinkering with election dates and consolidating races.

The commissions might recommend several changes that could affect the timing of elections, such as expanding the size of the City Council or changing the terms of city offices.

Until then, perhaps enough qualified and serious people will run for the City Council in two years to scare the incumbents and make voters think there's a true chance to make a difference.