Fort Myers Beach keeps its own fire and mosquito control districts. Beach voters said no to both mergers Tuesday, so neither law takes effect, even though the larger districts voted yes.
Fort Myers Beach will keep its own fire district and its own mosquito control district. Voters on the island, about 14 miles southwest of downtown Fort Myers, rejected both proposed mergers Tuesday.
The fire question failed by 3 to 1 on the beach. The mosquito question failed by a narrower margin. Voters in the two larger districts said yes to both mergers, but each law needed a majority in both districts to take effect.
The figures are the Lee County Supervisor of Elections’ unofficial election night results, with every precinct reporting. They are not final until the county canvassing board certifies them.
The results
| Question | Where | Yes | No | Result there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire district merger | Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District | 797 (24.83%) | 2,413 (75.17%) | Rejected |
| Fire district merger | Iona-McGregor Fire Protection and Rescue Service District | 14,861 (57.13%) | 11,151 (42.87%) | Approved |
| Mosquito district merger | Fort Myers Beach Mosquito Control District | 1,424 (45.99%) | 1,672 (54.01%) | Rejected |
| Mosquito district merger | Lee County Mosquito Control District | 212,334 (76.74%) | 64,350 (23.26%) | Approved |
Why the yes votes elsewhere do not count
Both laws were written so that each district had to agree.
The fire merger is Chapter 2026-192, Laws of Florida. It would have folded the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District into the Iona-McGregor district. The law says it takes effect only if the question “is answered affirmatively by a majority of the qualified voters in each district voting in the referendum.” The beach district said no.
The mosquito merger is Chapter 2025-235, Laws of Florida, passed by the Legislature in 2025. It would have expanded the Lee County Mosquito Control District to cover all of Lee County and abolished the Fort Myers Beach district. It also needed a majority in each of the two districts, according to the Fort Myers Beach Mosquito Control District’s referendum page.
What the fire merger would have changed
Florida law bars a fire district from campaigning on a referendum. The Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District published a factual sheet on the merger before the vote. It said a merger would have meant:
- two fire-based ambulances, Rescue 31 and Rescue 33, taken out of service
- 12 funded firefighter positions eliminated, four per shift
- daily staffing on the island cut from 16 firefighters on five units to 12 on three
- permitting, inspections and administration moved off the island to two mainland locations
Those were the district’s figures. A “no” vote, the sheet said, keeps the Fort Myers Beach fire district.
Fire board seat
Beach voters also filled Seat 1 on the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District board. Jim Knickle won with 1,765 votes (71.40%) to Bret Randle’s 707 (28.60%), in the same unofficial results.
What it means for you
- If you live or own property on Fort Myers Beach: your fire service, fire permits and inspections stay with the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District at 100 Voorhis St. Mosquito spraying and complaints stay with the Fort Myers Beach Mosquito Control District, 239-247-1205.
- If you live in the Iona-McGregor fire district or elsewhere in Lee County: nothing changes. Your yes votes passed in your district, but neither law takes effect without the beach.
- If you live in the city of Fort Myers: these questions were not on your ballot. Our voting guide covers how Lee County elections work.
The results become official when the Lee County canvassing board certifies them. We will update this page if the certified count changes any outcome.
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