Editor, Daily News:

Our current system of electing Lee County commissioners fails to serve the citizens it is intended to represent.

Our at-large system is flawed and illegitimate. Limiting, intentionally or not, the ability of many people who might otherwise be able to present themselves for office is a direct consequence of the old Jim Crow laws and should not be allowed to continue.

Lee County must evolve in order to reflect the individuals and the individuality of our diverse communities and provide opportunity to achieve equitable representation through the election process.

Single, compact, contiguous districts provide for the best representation in regional politics, reflecting the diversity which exists and continuing to be ever mindful of the greater good of the county. We use this system in congressional races, state senate and state representative races for this very reason.

Failure to change fosters loss of faith in our system and discrimination against our citizens, and although it is almost impossible to expect a political body to make political change, the County Commission should think about the communities that comprise this county and the citizens who believe at-large voting alienates them from you, the public servant.

Allow the public to speak on this issue and afford us home rule by placing this issue on the November ballot.

What better way to tell the citizens of Lee County that we are listening?

Anita Cereceda, Fort Myers Beach, Candidate, Lee County Commission, District 3