The Town Council will hold a public hearing on Monday, Aug. 9, on whether to move municipal elections from May to November.

A November election would coincide with general elections and most likely increase turnout on local votes. But, opponents say that local candidates may get "lost" among myriad national and state issues.

The Election Day change would involve a change in the Town charter. Following the public hearing, councilors may place the charter amendment on the Nov. 2 ballot.

The proposal to move the municipal election was an effort to save money, Town Councilor Michael Mowles explained at the July 12 meeting of the Town Council. Combining the municipal election would save the cost of having a separate local election in the spring.

And with a voter turnout 572, or 7.2 percent, this past May, proponents are hoping a fall election will mean draw more voters. Mowles said he would like to see local candidates elected by a better representation of the citizens of the Town.

Two other councilors, however, indicated they did not favor moving the elections, and one, Carol Fritz, was the sole vote against holding the public hearing. "Candidates need to have a separate time when people consider those candidates, rather than be lost. And they would be lost," Fritz said. Councilor John McGinty also said he did not favor the move, but he did vote to set the hearing for Aug. 9.

The last time the council considered such a charter change was in 1996. Following a public hearing, however, the council opted by a 3-4 vote not to set the question to referendum, and unanimously tabled the moving of the municipal election indefinitely.

Cape Elizabeth municipal elections have been held in May since 1988, when they were moved from December to dovetail with local elections in Portland and South Portland. Since that time, however, both of those cities have moved to November elections.

The proposed charter amendment also poses to change the deadline for filing nominating papers from 45 days to 60 days prior to Election Day, allowing more time to print absentee ballots and to be consistent with the state and other communities.