CHRISTIANSBURG -- After the Christiansburg Town Council balked at the idea of moving town elections from May to November, a group of residents is following Blacksburg residents' lead and taking matters into their own hands.

Carol Lindstrom, author of the community blog Depot Dazed, is spearheading the group, which consists of concerned residents who often attend council meetings. "It's the people's right to make this choice," Lindstrom said.

Seven of the group's members met for the first time Monday night at the old Cambria Depot to brainstorm ideas.

At the Sept. 2 council meeting, new Councilman Henry Showalter invited Montgomery County Registrar Randy Wertz to address council about local election dates. According to the presentation, Christiansburg's turnout in May is much lower than general election turnout in November.

Most Christiansburg council members, however, voiced reservations about the switch. Showalter continued his support for the change by appearing at the group's first meeting Monday night.

In January, Blacksburg Town Council voted to move its elections to November in odd years starting in 2009. Blacksburg Mayor Ron Rordam's original proposal was to switch from May of even-numbered years to November of even-numbered years, but a group of residents who opposed that suggestion collected about 1,000 signatures in a effort to put the issue on the ballot in May. Rordam and residents opposed to his proposal settled on a compromise: The town could switch to November elections in odd-numbered years, when county and state officials are elected.

The Christiansburg residents group has designed a petition for a referendum to switch the election period from May to November in odd-numbered years starting in 2011. According to Virginia code, the petition must contain signatures of at least 10 percent of the town's registered voters as of Jan. 1. Wertz's records indicate that on Jan. 2 there were 12,994 voters registered in Christiansburg.

At the group meeting, Showalter agreed to submit the petition to the clerk court once the group has obtained the required signatures.

Because of the expected high turnout in the November presidential election, the group plans to set up at local polling places to seek signatures for their petition.

"It's like the universe has opened up for us," Lindstrom said.