Latest news with #GeorgiaPublicServiceCommission
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican Echols wins Georgia Public Service Commission primary as Democrats head for a runoff
Republican Tim Echols won renomination in one of the Georgia Public Service Commission primary elections on Tuesday, while Democrats Keisha Waites and Peter Hubbard appeared headed to a July 15 runoff. Voters Tuesday were deciding party nominees for two posts on the commission, which oversees utilities including Georgia Power Co. Separate Republican and Democratic primaries were taking place. In each race, candidates must live in a certain district, but run statewide. Turnout was low, with fewer than 200,000 people statewide casting ballots. In the District 2 Republican primary, the incumbent Echols outpaced challenger Lee Muns of Harlem by a 3 to 1 margin. Echols, a Hoschton resident, has been on the Public Service Commission since 2011. He will face Democrat Alicia Johnson of Savannah in November. She was unopposed Tuesday. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] In mostly complete returns in the District 3 Democratic primary, Waites, a former state legislator and Atlanta City Council member, won the most votes but fell short of a majority. That means she will face the second-place finisher, Hubbard, in a runoff. He's a green energy activist from Atlanta. Former utility regulator and utility executive Robert Jones of Brookhaven finished third and will miss the runoff. The winner of the Democratic runoff will face incumbent Fitz Johnson of Atlanta, who was unopposed Tuesday. Daniel Blackman of Atlanta appeared on ballots in the District 3 Democratic primary, but votes for him were not counted after a judge ruled he hadn't moved into the district in time to meet the November 2024 deadline Debate in the primary centered on bills charged by Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Co. Georgia Power customers have seen bills rise six times in recent years because of higher natural gas costs, construction projects including two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle near Augusta, and other factors. A typical Georgia Power residential customer now pays more than $175 a month, including taxes. Echols defends his record. 'I am grateful to Republicans who value our low rates and grid reliability, allowing us to stay the No. 1 state to do business,' Echols said in a statement Tuesday. 'Our Public Service Commission is laser-focused on protecting Georgia families. Waites has said bills are 'going in the wrong direction' and touted her previous experience in office, saying she would be a viable Democratic candidate in November. 'I have a long track record and history of fighting and standing up for working families and seniors,' she told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a Monday candidate forum. TRENDING STORIES: As 4-year anniversary nears, questions remain over brutal stabbing in Piedmont Park Man dead following shooting at NW Atlanta apartment complex Windy, stormy weather blows inflatable waterslides onto downtown connector Hubbard said he believed his platform would triumph in the Democratic contest on July 15, saying he would 'fight for a Georgia powered by clean, low-cost renewable energy. I have a detailed plan to create that future and lower power bills.' The five-member commission, currently all Republicans, also oversees some natural gas rates for Atlanta Gas Light and Liberty Gas. Georgia usually doesn't have statewide elections in odd-numbered years, but these were pushed back after elections were delayed by a lawsuit that unsuccessfully challenged the statewide voting scheme as discriminatory to Black people. No Georgia Public Service Commission elections have been held since 2022 because of the lawsuit. Johnson was appointed to the commission in 2021 by Gov. Brian Kemp and has never faced voters. He was supposed to run for the last two years of his predecessor's term in 2022. Instead, the District 3 winner can run again next year for a six-year term, after lawmakers rewrote the terms. Echols was supposed to run for a six-year term in 2022. Instead, the District 2 winner will serve for five years, with the next election in 2030. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Election Day for Georgia's Public Service Commission: Who's on ballot for primary
Two of the five seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission will be up for election this November. But before that, a crowded field of candidates are competing in Tuesday's primary election for a chance to appear on the November ballot. The commission of energy regulators reviews proposals from electric companies such as Georgia Power. These proposals outline how much the company plans to charge customers for electricity and where the company will get its energy — whether from solar, natural gas, coal, batteries, hydropower, or other sources. Every three years, the commission also holds hearings on Georgia Power's Integrated Resource Plan, gathering public comments and expert testimony, along with handling other responsibilities. This year, five challengers have lined up to run against two Republican incumbents: Tim Echols of District 2 and Fitz Johnson of District 3. The long-awaited race for the Georgia PSC begins with a crowded list of candidates. In District 3, three Democrats, Keisha Waites, Peter Hubbard and Robert Jones, are competing in the primary for a chance to contend with Johnson in November. Daniel Blackman, a former EPA Region 4 administrator and previous PSC candidate, was also running in this district but was disqualified after a judge ruled he did not provide enough evidence that he lived in District 3 for at least 12 months, as required by commission rules. Johnson was nominated for the seat by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2021. He laid out his priorities when it comes to being a commissioner in an interview with McClatchy earlier this year. 'Our mission here is safety, reliability, reasonable cost … with those three things in mind, then we can start to look at how clean energy is,' Johnson said. Waites is a former three-term state representative who served District 60 in Clayton and Fulton counties from 2012 to 2017. She led efforts on anti-bullying and HIV testing, and authored a bill to provide tuition assistance to children of fallen law enforcement officers. She also served on the Atlanta City Council beginning in 2021 and resigned in March 2024 to run for Fulton County Clerk. Waites' campaign focuses on renewable energy and goals to reduce Georgia Power's dependence on coal and natural gas. Hubbard is well-experienced in the energy sector, working as a consultant for over a decade, specializing in electricity and gas modeling, integrated resource planning, and advising utilities and executives on energy strategies. Currently, he develops solar and energy storage projects across the country. Hubbard's campaign centers on lowering electric bills, expanding reliable clean energy, and holding the Public Service Commission accountable to consumers rather than utility companies. He argues that the PSC has prioritized investor profits over the interests of Georgia families for too long and pledges to fight for ratepayers and more affordable, cleaner energy options. He also has been critical of the PSC's lack of transparency, the influence of utility company campaign contributions and what he sees as the commission's reactive approach to utility proposals. Hubbard wants the PSC to be proactive, seek out better solutions for Georgia's energy future, and ensure ratepayers have a stronger voice in decisions that affect their bills and the state's energy mix, according to his website. Hubbard previously ran for Georgia House District 90 in 2022, losing to Saira Draper, who has endorsed him in this race. Robert Jones wanted to run for the Public Service Commission in 2022 and again in 2024 against Tricia Pridemore, but both elections were canceled due to lawsuits. Jones has a background in utility and communication regulation, having worked as a senior regulatory analyst for electricity companies in Oakland and Seattle, and for AT&T (now Lumen Technologies). Jones, a Georgia Power customer and eight-year DeKalb County resident, says the commission has not been 'innovating or adapting to energy policies that society needs' over the last four to five years. Jones' campaign focuses on expanding rooftop and community solar energy, addressing community impacts of datacenters, limiting price increases and reducing green house gas emissions, among other things, according to his website. In District 2, Republican Lee Muns has filed to run against Echols. Alicia Johnson is unopposed in the Democratic primary and will be the nominee in November. Echols, who hasn't faced an election since 2016 — a five-year term that became nine years due to a Voting Rights Act case — will face Alicia Johnson in November if he defeats fellow Republican Lee Muns in the primary. Muns, a project manager from Columbia County and lifelong Augusta-area resident, has a background in power plant construction and is a strong supporter of nuclear energy. Muns said he will fight for Georgia families, protect ratepayers and push for smart, sustainable energy solutions and prioritize consumers, economic growth and job creation. Muns is committed to ensuring Georgians receive safe, reliable, and fairly priced services, according to his website. He prioritizes accountability and transparency from the Commission. He supports moving from statewide to district-based elections to give all regions a stronger voice. Muns pledges to freeze utility rate increases until there is full transparency from utility companies and advocates for commissioners to have access to complete data on the lifespans and costs of all current and proposed power plants. He is also committed to reducing utility disconnections, investigating Plant Vogtle cost overruns, and making comprehensive data on Georgia's energy system publicly available.. Echols told McClatchy that under his leadership, Georgia is moving aggressively toward a cleaner energy grid. He said he helped create a net metering program in 2019, allowing customers with rooftop solar panels to earn credits for extra energy they produce. This solar incentive program was removed in 2022 by the PSC. Echols said his biggest concerns for the future are potential increases in electricity bills in 2025 and 2026. Residents looking to vote on Election Day who aren't sure of where to go can find their registration information and their polling place on the secretary of state's website.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia Public Service Commission election: What you need to know
The Brief It's Election Day for the primary races to see who will face off for a seat on the Georgia Public Service Commission. The agency 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. There are two separate primary elections taking place. A voter can choose either a Republican ballot or a Democratic ballot. In each race, candidates must live in a certain district, but run statewide. Voters across Georgia will head to the polls on Tuesday tohave their say on who can make decisions over what they see on their utility bills. Primary elections for two of the five seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission are up for grabs. 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. Seven candidates are running for two seats on the commission. The eighth, Daniel Blackman, was disqualified after a judge ruled he hadn't moved into the district in time to meet the November 2024 deadline. In recent years, the Commission approved multiple hikes to utility prices. In May, 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 this month. The five-member commission, currently all Republicans, also oversees some natural gas rates for Atlanta Gas Light and Liberty Gas. Dig deeper There are two separate primary elections taking place. A voter can choose either a Republican ballot or a Democratic ballot. In each race, candidates must live in a certain district, but run statewide. In the District 2 Republican primary, Lee Muns of Harlem is challenging incumbent Commissioner Tim Echols, who lives in Hoschton. Echols has been on the Public Service Commission since 2011. The winner will face Democrat Alicia Johnson of Augusta in November. In the District 3 Democratic primary, three people are vying to challenge Republican incumbent Fitz Johnson in November. They are Peter Hubbard and Keisha Waites of Atlanta and Robert Jones of Brookhaven. If no Democrat wins a majority on Tuesday, a runoff will be held on July 15. Georgia usually doesn't have statewide elections in odd-numbered years, but these were pushed back after elections were delayed by a lawsuit that unsuccessfully challenged the statewide voting scheme as discriminatory to Black people. No Georgia Public Service Commission elections have been held since 2022 because of the lawsuit. Johnson was appointed to the commission in 2021 by Gov. Brian Kemp and has never faced voters. He was supposed to run for the last two years of his predecessor's term in 2022. Instead, the District 3 winner can run again next year for a six-year term, after lawmakers rewrote the terms. Echols was supposed to run for a six-year term in 2022. Instead, the District 2 winner will serve for five years, with the next election in 2030. What you can do Eligible voters can cast their ballot at their assigned polling place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those in line by 7 p.m. will still be allowed to vote. Some Gwinnett County polling places have been changed. You can find the list of changes here. You can find your assigned polling place on the Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page. The Source Information for this report came from previous FOX 5 stories and the Associated Press.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Georgia Republican officials to finally face election after years of legal delays
Two members of Georgia's powerful public service commission will finally face primary voters Tuesday after court challenges that threw a competing candidate off of ballots and more than two years of delays that left incumbents in office. The Georgia Public Service Commission oversees gas, electric and other utilities, setting rates and regulating power plants for Georgia Power. Each member of the five-person commission must live in the district assigned to their seat, even though voters across Georgia vote in each race. All five commissioners are Republicans, despite Georgia's close partisan divide and even though two of the districts would strongly favor Democrats if only voters in those districts chose candidates. A group of Black voters in metro Atlanta led by Richard Rose of the Georgia NAACP challenged Georgia's unusual at-large system for electing public service commissioners in 2020 under section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), arguing that at-large elections dilute Black voting power. Steven Grimberg, a US district court judge, ruled for the plaintiffs in August 2022, leading Brad Raffensperger, Georgia's secretary of state, to cancel the 2022 election for two commission seats while lawmakers and appeals courts worked through the issue. The 11th circuit court of appeals reversed the lower court's ruling in 2024. The US supreme court declined to take up the case. Had it heard the case, some voting rights advocates were concerned that an adverse ruling might have further eroded the Voting Rights Act by affirming the use of at-large districts nationwide as a broadly acceptable practice. Raffensberger also canceled the 2024 election for a third seat after the state legislature passed a bill that extended every commissioner's term by at least one year and reset the election calendar. All three commissioners have been allowed to stay in office while the convoluted legal process played out. Commissioner Tim Echols faces Lee Muns, a former member of the Columbia county board of education who helped build part of Georgia Power's Plant Vogtle nuclear plant in the late 1980s. The commission has raised electricity rates in recent years to cover cost overruns in Vogtle's construction. The winner of that contest will face Democrat Alicia Johnson of Savannah in November. Commissioner Fitz Johnson does not face primary opposition, but three Democrats are vying for their party's nomination in district three: former Atlanta city councilwoman Keisha Sean Waites, utility activist Peter Hubbard and former utility executive Robert Jones. A fourth candidate, Daniel Blackman, was removed from the ballot in a residency challenge earlier this month. Joe Biden appointed Blackman as a regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency after he narrowly lost a challenge to incumbent public service commissioner Bubba McDaniel in the supercharged January 2021 Georgia runoff election. Blackman leased a one-bedroom dwelling in Atlanta, but a Fulton county judge ruled that he provided insufficient evidence that he actually lived at the address. Blackman's wife and child reside in their Forsyth county home north of Atlanta, and Blackman did not change his voter registration from that address until a few weeks ago. Voters will find notices in polling places of Blackman's disqualification on Tuesday. Votes cast for him will not be counted, Raffensperger's office said. Though Georgia voters have increasingly opted to vote early, the off-year election and the uncertainty around Blackman's challenge to the disqualification has meant a low turnout race so far. Out of about 7.4 million active voters in Georgia, fewer than 75,000 have voted to date.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
GA voters picking Public Service Commission nominees in primaries focused on bills
Voters head to the polls today to choose party nominees for two posts on the Georgia Public Service Commission, which oversees utilities including Georgia Power Co. There are two separate primary elections taking place. A voter can choose either a Republican ballot or a Democratic ballot. In each race, candidates must live in a certain district but run statewide. In the District 2 Republican primary, Lee Muns of Harlem is challenging incumbent Commissioner Tim Echols, who lives in Hoschton. Echols has been on the Public Service Commission since 2011. The winner will face Democrat Alicia Johnson of Augusta in November. In the District 3 Democratic primary, three people are vying to challenge Republican incumbent Fitz Johnson in November. They are Peter Hubbard and Keisha Waites of Atlanta and Robert Jones of Brookhaven. If no Democrat wins a majority on Tuesday, a runoff will be held on July 15. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Daniel Blackman of Atlanta will appear on ballots in the District 3 Democratic primary, but votes for him will not be counted after a judge ruled he hadn't moved into the district in time to meet the November 2024 deadline Debate in the primary has centered on bills charged by Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Co. Georgia Power customers have seen bills rise six times in recent years because of higher natural gas costs, construction projects including two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle near Augusta, and other factors. A typical Georgia Power residential customer now pays more than $175 a month, including taxes. All the challengers are calling for change, while Republican incumbent Tim Echols defends his record. The five-member commission, currently all Republicans, also oversees some natural gas rates for Atlanta Gas Light and Liberty Gas. Georgia usually doesn't have statewide elections in odd-numbered years, but these were pushed back after elections were delayed by a lawsuit that unsuccessfully challenged the statewide voting scheme as discriminatory to Black people. No Georgia Public Service Commission elections have been held since 2022 because of the lawsuit. Johnson was appointed to the commission in 2021 by Gov. Brian Kemp and has never faced voters. He was supposed to run for the last two years of his predecessor's term in 2022. Instead, the District 3 winner can run again next year for a six-year term, after lawmakers rewrote the terms. Echols was supposed to run for a six-year term in 2022. Instead, the District 2 winner will serve for five years, with the next election in 2030. TRENDING STORIES: Woman in deadly Atlanta hit and run has second hit and run 20 miles away, police say Police say apparent road rage led to fatal Atlanta shooting Stonecrest couple attacked by 3 dogs say they're unimpressed with county's response [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
