In 2024, voters in communities like Tice, Lehigh Acres, Buckingham, Olga, and Alva watched Amanda Cochran win 15 out of 17 precincts — yet still lose to Mike Greenwell in the District 5 race. That’s not a one-off. This kind of outcome has occurred 14 times in 23 elections — proof that Lee County’s at-large system can override local preferences.
Change is finally on the horizon. On June 11, 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 4001, sponsored by Cape Coral Republican Rep. Mike Giallombardo. This legislation puts a 2026 referendum on the ballot asking Lee County voters whether to shift to single-member districts for electing county commissioners. If approved, the change will take effect in 2028.
The proposal passed with bipartisan support — 94–11 in the House and 36–0 in the Senate. In January 2025, the Lee County legislative delegation, all Republicans, advanced the bill by a 6–1 vote. Among its strongest champions is Matt Caldwell, Lee County Property Appraiser and former member of the Charter Review Committee.
Support is growing, especially in rural areas where residents are concerned about unchecked development. I remember working alongside Republicans like Matt Caldwell and the Libertarian Party chair more than a decade ago in the nonpartisan Common-Sense Government Committee to push for single-member representation. Democrats have long stood for this reform — and now the time is right.Yet, opposition remains — from the Lee County Republican Executive Committee, some current commissioners, State Committeewoman Tara Jenner, Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R–Fort Myers), and the Good Government Leadership Fund.
Why Lee County Needs Single-Member Districts:1. Stronger Local Representation and Accountability• Residents vote only for the commissioner who represents their district.• This creates a direct link between voters and their elected official, making it easier to raise concerns and demand results.2. Fairer, More Equitable Elections• At-large elections favor wealthy, well-connected candidates with name recognition.• District-based races lower campaign costs and allow grassroots, working-class voices to compete.• Consider Melvin Morgan — Lee’s only Black commissioner — who lost re-election in 1984 despite winning 60% in her Fort Myers district.3. A Voice for Growing Communities• Rapidly expanding areas like Lehigh Acres, Dunbar, and North Fort Myers are often left behind.• Single-member districts guarantee these regions a voice rather than letting coastal population centers dominate all five seats.4. Clarity for Voters• Currently, voters elect all five commissioners even though each must reside in a specific district — creating confusion about representation.• With single-member districts, it’s simple: you vote for your district’s commissioner, and they answer to you.5. Aligns Lee County with the Rest of Florida• Most large counties — Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Orange, Broward — already use this system.• Lee should modernize and join the majority.6. Prevents Power Concentration• At-large systems breed entrenched political dynasties and discourage challengers.• For unincorporated communities like Alva and Gateway, the county commission is their only local government. They deserve fair, focused representation.In Conclusion
Switching to single-member districts is a step toward fairer, more accountable, and more inclusive government in Lee County. It ensures that every resident — urban, rural, or unincorporated — has a vote that counts and a commissioner who truly represents them.
Let’s give Lee County voters the local voice they deserve.
Sandra McClinton is FDP State Committeewoman and CD 19 Chair, former chair, Lee County Democratic Executive Committee, president, Democratic Women’s Club of Lee County.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: A case for single-member districts in Lee County | Opinion
Reporting by Sandra McClinton / Fort Myers News-Press
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