Georgia Public Service Commission elections historically received limited public attention and turnout. That changed last year, when voters, frustrated by rising electric bills, ousted two GOP members of the utility regulator, previously made up entirely of Republicans. This year, Democrats have a chance to flip control of the five-member commission.
The Georgia Public Service Commission regulates utilities across the state, most notably Georgia Power, which supplies electricity to roughly 2.7 million customers. The commission approves rate hikes, oversees long-term energy planning and decides how utilities recover costs from customers. Republicans have controlled the body for decades, but with two of the five seats on the ballot this year, that grip on power may be slipping.
Last year, Alicia M. Johnson and Peter Hubbard became the first Democrats elected to statewide office in Georgia since 2006. Johnson won a full six-year term, while Hubbard won a temporary one-year term and is now running for reelection to a full term.
The second seat up for grabs belongs to Republican Tricia Pridemore, who is not seeking reelection as she runs for Georgia’s 11th Congressional District seat. Democrat Shelia Edwards secured her party’s nomination Tuesday night. Her Republican opponent will be decided in a runoff because no candidate won a majority of the primary vote, a requirement under Georgia election law.
