To the editor:

We have voted from the time we were eligible to. Taught by our parents that the right to vote was a privilege, and not one to be taken lightly, we have felt it was our responsibility as citizens to educate ourselves on the issues, and the candidates, so that we could make informed choices. We have looked for individuals to represent us that have dedication and integrity rather than choosing to be straight ticket Democrats or Republicans, or one issue voters. The election of individuals willing to put the time and effort into researching the important issues of the day and creating viable, bipartisan, solutions to the problems presented has been our goal.

Ann Meyer is our clear choice for representative. Ann is a longtime resident of Fort Dodge,. She has raised her family in this community while working as a nurse and educator, and supporting multiple causes to raise the standard of care in our district. Her extensive experience in medicine and education, two critical issues that Iowa is currently grappling with, will serve us well in developing legislation to move our state forward. Her dedication in investigating the behavioral health issues facing our state due to lack of funding, and other needed resources, has been heartwarming.

Ann has made a platform of giving people a voice, and has put in hundreds of hours to learn what is important to the residents of her district by doing door-to-door canvassing and making herself available at community functions. We invite you to join us in electing Ann Meyer as District 9’s representative to the Iowa House.

We also want to take a moment to thank all of the candidates willing to run for elected office in the hopes of improving our city, county, district and state. Whether you win or lose, we appreciate the effort you have made and thank you for giving us choices

Bennett and Diane O’Connor

Fort Dodge