Fort Myers Beach and Lee County Voters Each Decide Tuesday on One Merged Mosquito Control District
A referendum on the November 3 ballot asks voters in both the Fort Myers Beach and Lee County mosquito control districts to approve merging them into a single countywide district — and it has to pass in both places to take effect.
Lee County voters go to the polls Tuesday with a mosquito question on the ballot. The November 3 general election includes a referendum on merging the Fort Myers Beach Mosquito Control District into the Lee County Mosquito Control District, which would create a single district covering the entire county, according to the Lee County Supervisor of Elections.
The proposal comes from House Bill 4035, which became Chapter 2025-235 of Florida law in 2025. Under the legislation, the merger would expand the Lee County district's boundaries to include all of Lee County, abolish the Fort Myers Beach district and transfer its assets and liabilities to the county district. The measure must win majority approval from voters in each of the two districts — a yes in one district and a no in the other would stop it.
A Florida House analysis of the legislation found that the Fort Myers Beach district was paying approximately $80,000 a year to the Lee County district for aerial spraying and inspection services, and the bill's economic impact statement estimated the merger would generate approximately $1 million in additional revenue from Fort Myers Beach residents. The analysis also said most taxpayers would see a reduction in their millage rate, although the legislation does not set a specific future tax rate. The Fort Myers Beach district has posted referendum information on its website, and voters can review the official ballot language through the Supervisor of Elections at lee.vote before Tuesday.
