Nearly a decade ago, the choice to either appoint or elect a county superintendent of schools was removed from voters. By legislative act, the decision to appoint versus elect a superintendent was made and this is the process within which the Cullman County Board of Education has operated since.

No matter how well intended, that was a decision that should have been made by voters. On Nov. 8, nine years later, voters will get to make that decision for themselves. In keeping with local campaign promises, the matter will be on the ballot. This is the right thing to do.

On that Tuesday, we hope that voters will also do the right thing — and keep in place the process of appointing this important position.

Alabama is one of only two states — Florida is the other — that holds elections for the position of superintendent of schools, and even here, more than 75 percent, or 102 out of 138 school systems, choose to appoint rather than elect. In Florida, the numbers are similar, 41 out of 67 public school districts appoint a superintendent.

The reasons are apparent and Cullman County is a prime example. Since the county moved to an appointed position, graduation rates have soared, the reserve budget has stretched from a month to nearly five months of operational funds, dozens of our schools have achieved levels of named academic excellence and the number of students taking college level courses is in the high hundreds.

Such results are not atypical of school systems that appoint their schools chief. This is why more than 99 percent of our nation’s 15,000 school districts operate this way.

We do not live in a direct democracy where citizens vote on every single issue. In America, we vote for representatives whom we trust will make the best single decisions for us as those single issues arise.

On the schools level, this is the best of both worlds. We vet and vote for those who will represent us on the board of education — with often a good number of former educators among them — who in turn have the expertise and time to vet and vote the single best person to lead our schools.

Unlike an election cycle, an appointed leader is answerable to the school board every day, and not just every four years. Unlike an elected position, an appointed leader has checks and is responsible for things such as curriculum changes you might not agree with, poor employee management or a disregard of board input. The only check on an elected leader is the infrequent, four year cycle of the ballot box.

Conventional wisdom moved the county to appoint rather than elect a superintendent of schools in 2013. That decision was right, even if the process was flawed.

Now, voters get the opportunity to right a wrong that has proven to be right for our county’s students, parents and families.