Early voting begins in Georgia Public Service Commission primary elections

Early voting begins for Georgia Public Service Commission

The special primary will determine two of the five seats on the commission that regulates Georgia's electric, gas, and telecommunications utilities.

FULTON COUNTY, Ga. - Georgians will be able to head to the polls starting Tuesday morning to have their say on who can make decisions over what they see on their utility bills.

Early voting for the Georgia Public Service Commission begins on Tuesday. It's the first race in five years due to a lawsuit over how Georgia's districts were drawn.

What we know:

The Georgia Public Service Commission is the body elected statewide that regulates utilities such as gas and electricity. It has power over what Georgia Power, the state's largest electric provider, can charge customers for electricity.

Eight candidates are running for two seats on the commission. 

In recent years, the Commission approved multiple hikes to utility prices. Earlier this month, Georgia Power cut a deal with the commission's Public Interest Advocacy staff to freeze its base rate until 2028.

As part of the tentative agreement, the utility will also push back its request to recoup storm damage losses until 2026.

That deal must still be approved by the PSC after public hearings later next month.

Timeline:

Early voting runs from May 27 through June 13, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

Weekend voting will also be available on Saturdays, May 31 and June 7, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays, June 1 and June 8, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

Election Day is scheduled for June 17.

Although PSC candidates qualify by district, the positions are statewide offices. The races are part of a partisan primary, so voters must select either a Democratic or Republican ballot to participate.

Dig deeper:

While the commissioners each represent a district around the state, they are elected by voters statewide.

District 2 includes parts of east and southeast Georgia. Republican Lee Muns is challenging incumbent Tim Echols for the party’s nomination. Democrat Alicia Johnson of Savannah is also running for that seat.

Four Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination in District 3: Daniel Blackman, Keisha Sean Waites, Peter Hubbard and Robert Jones. That district includes the metro Atlanta counties of Fulton, DeKalb, and Clayton. The winner of that primary will face incumbent Fitz Johnson in November.

The next election for the District 5 seat will be held next year. Elections for the remaining two seats will be held in 2028.

What you can do:

Absentee ballots for the election have already begun to be issued is May 26. Voters have until June 6 to request one.

You can see your early voting locations and request an absentee ballot on the Georgia Secretary of State's website.