Who runs the elections? That is not some sleepy courthouse question in today’s day and age.

Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Jenna Persons-Mulicka as Lee County Supervisor of Elections after Tommy Doyle retired in January, and now she is running to keep the job. Fort Myers resident DeMaria Artis has also filed as No Party Affiliation, so yes, the race is officially on.

This office matters. A lot.

The Supervisor of Elections is the person voters trust to keep the system clean, the rolls accurate, the ballots handled properly, and the results credible. Not flashy. Not glamorous. But neither is plumbing — until it backs up all over the living room.

Persons-Mulicka is already leaning hard into election integrity, calling Florida the “gold standard” and saying Lee County should be the “tip of the spear.” Good. That is exactly the attitude taxpayers should want from the person guarding the ballot box. Confidence is not built with press releases and vibes. It is built with transparency, clean processes, and zero tolerance for funny business.

And before anyone starts clutching pearls, wanting secure elections is not “extreme.” It is basic adult supervision.

There is also a political domino effect that comes into play as a result. Persons-Mulicka’s move opens up Florida House District 78, and Fort Myers’ Susan Frantz has filed for that seat. So Lee County voters now have two races to watch: who runs elections here at home, and who goes to Tallahassee next.

That is a pretty big shuffle for one county.

The left loves to act like election security questions are dangerous. Funny how asking for ID to board a plane, buy cough medicine, or enter certain government buildings is normal — but asking whether voting systems are tight suddenly makes you a threat to democracy. Spare us.

Lee County voters should demand three things from every candidate in this race: accuracy, openness, and accountability. No excuses. No “trust us” routines. No bureaucratic fog machine.

Because in elections, trust is not handed out like politicians hand out campaign yard signs. It is earned. Let’s make them earn it.