Hayward residents are tired of poor voter turnout for their city elections.

A door-to-door petition took place in efforts to change city elections from June to November. A larger percent of Hayward voters turn out for national elections in November, according to voter registration from the Alameda County Registrar of Voters. Hayward Votes Together — a coalition of Hayward workers, activists and local labor organizations — provided the city clerk with 13,523 signatures on Monday, which surpassed the amount for City Council to take notice.

“Hayward benefits when more residents cast votes on city issues,” said Hayward City Council Member Elisa Márquez in a press release. “The crucial issues facing our city are too important for so many residents not to vote.”

Goodwin Simon Strategic Research conducted a survey in Sept. 2015 that asked Hayward voters about the election date change and initially 59 percent supported the change; after the petition and door-to-door marketing, support has grown to 71 percent.

If this measure goes through on the June 2016 ballot, the first modified date for the city election will be held November 2018.

“By moving Hayward’s City Council elections to November, the city can lift low turnout; this will ensure that more of Hayward’s residents have a voice in crucial policy issues, and with elected officials, that affect their day to day lives,” stated District 2 Supervisor and Hayward Votes Together endorser Richard Valle in a press release.