Without fanfare, in-flighting or even the back-door coercion of state legislators, the Glades County Board of County Commissioners unanimously agreed recently to allow voters to decide the best governance model for them.

Glades, like most rural counties operates under an at-large governance. That means people elected to serve on County Commission must win the majority of voters throughout the county — at-large — rather than solely earning the blessing of the district they represent.

Such elections are costly because of the reach it takes for a county-wide election. Research shows at-large elections make it less likely for minorities and women to get elected to commission seats.

Under single-member districts, voters only may vote for a candidate that represents his or her district.

Many residents and politicians not on the county commission in neighboring Lee County have clamored for years to get a measure for single-member districts on the ballot in Lee.

Efforts in the past have not made traction. That changed last year when state legislators stepped in, passing what’s called a local bill. This by-passed having to go before the board of county commissioners in Lee, which was likely to nix the idea of allowing a ballot referendum.

So now both Lee and Glades will allow voters to decide.

About a third of the Florida’s counties have single member-districts Lee County is the largest county in the state to still operate under an at-large system.

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