Islanders will head to the polls a few months later than expected if the provincial government adopts a plan proposed by Premier Robert Ghiz.

P.E.I. is scheduled to have its next provincial election in the fall of 2015.

But the fixed election date is within a few weeks of the next federal election. Ghiz met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper last week, and discussed changing the timing.

"We know that there are a couple of provinces now that have introduced legislation that says if elections do fall provincially and federally at the same time, the province would therefore move their election dates," Ghiz said. "It's something we're going to be look at over the next few months."

Ghiz is pitching the date be rescheduled to the spring of 2016, six months later than planned.

"It gives political parties more time to plan, and let's the federal election get out of the way."

Opposition split

NDP Leader Mike Redmond says the election should be sooner rather than later. (CBC)

Olive Crane, the leader of the opposition, said it should be up to Islanders to decide. She's proposing the government host public hearings through a legislative committee.

"There's lots of time to change any date," she said.

NDP Leader Mike Redmond said he thinks voters will want an election far sooner than 2016.

"Government has shown that in no way, shape for form, it has good governance," he said. "So pushing the date back would leave people in the general public to believe they're clinging to power as long as they can."