Latest news with #TimEchols
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
1 Public Service Commission primary headed to a runoff
The Brief Former Atlanta City Council member Keisha Waites is headed to a runoff against Peter Hubbard. The runoff election is July 15. The winner of the primary will face incumbent Republican Fitz Johnson, who was appointed to the commission in 2021 by Gov. Brian Kemp. In the District 2 Republican primary, incumbent Tim Echols won the primary. He will face Democrat Alicia Johnson in November. ATLANTA - One of the 2025 Public Service Commission primaries is headed to a runoff. What we know The District 3 Democratic race has been narrowed down to two candidates after none of the three received 50% of the vote Tuesday. Former Atlanta City Council member Keisha Waites is headed to a runoff against Peter Hubbard. Waites earned 47% of the vote, while Hubbard received 32%. Robert Jones is out of the running after receiving 20% of the vote. The runoff election is July 15. The winner of the primary will face incumbent Republican Fitz Johnson, who ran unopposed in the primary. Johnson was appointed to the commission in 2021 by Gov. Brian Kemp and has never faced voters. He was originally scheduled to run in 2022 for the last two years of his predecessor's term . Instead, the District 3 winner can run again next year for a six-year term, after lawmakers rewrote the terms. In the District 2 Republican primary, incumbent Tim Echols won the primary. Echols has been on the Public Service Commission since 2011. Echols will face Democrat Alicia Johnson, who ran unopposed in the primary, come November. Dig deeper 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. Related: Georgia Public Service Commission election: What you need to know Why you should care 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. The Source Information for this article came from the Secretary of State's election website and FOX 5 reporting.
Yahoo
3 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
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Election Day in Georgia: See results for Public Service Commission primary races
Incumbent Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols convincingly won his primary election Tuesday night, setting himself up to run against Democrat Alicia Johnson for another term. The Republican energy service regulator who presides over District 2 defeated Lee Muns, GOP challenger. With only two counties left to report Tuesday night, Echols held more than 76% of the vote. Johnson, who will be Echols' challenger in November, ran unopposed. While Echols won decisively, a three-candidate Democratic field in District 3 failed to yield a clear winner. Keisha Sean Waites, Peter Hubbard and Robert Jones all ran with the goal of securing the nomination and facing off against incumbent Republican Fitz Johnson in November. Waites led the field with more than 47% of the vote Tuesday night with 157 of 159 counties reporting, but with no candidate grabbing 50% of the ballots cast, the race appeared set for a runoff. Hubbard, who was second in the vote with 32%, also would make it into the runoff if results held. 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. The Georgia Public Service Commission is a five-member panel of energy regulators which 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. Find results from the two contested PSC races below.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
It's Georgia Election Day: Here's what's on the ballot around GA
Tuesday, June 17, is Election Day across Central Georgia. While it's not a presidential or midterm election, several local contests are on the ballot and could have a big impact. From Public Service Commission to Mayor to Tax Commissioner, Central Georgia has four elections Tuesday. Here is everything to know. Public Service Commission (PSC) Election Voters across Georgia will help decide who sits on the Public Service Commission (PSC)—the state body that helps regulate utility companies like Georgia Power and influences how much Georgians pay for services. There are two PSC seats up for grabs: District 2 Candidates: Tim Echols (Republican) Lee Muns (Republican) Alicia M. Johnson (Democrat) District 3 Candidates: Fitz Johnson (Republican) Daniel Blackman (Democrat) Peter Hubbard (Democrat) Robert Jones (Democrat) Keisha Sean Waites (Democrat) Centerville Mayor election: Centerville voters will choose someone to finish out the remaining term of former mayor John Harley, who resigned at the end of 2024 after more than a decade in candidates are: J. Michael Evans: Current acting mayor and city council chairman Justin Wright: Longtime city council member New Chairman in Washington County After Horace Daniel stepped down as council chairman, Washington County residents are now choosing his replacement. Two Democratic candidates are in the race: Mel Daniel: Son of the former chairman, with a background in local affairs Doug Watkins: Current District 1 commissioner with seven years of experience Wheeler County Tax Commissioner election Voters in Wheeler County will decide among four candidates for the tax commissioner position: Bradley Davis (Republican) Whitney Griffin (Republican) Curtis Hay (Republican) Marvin Howard (Democrat) To find your polling location, view a sample ballot, or check your voter registration details, visit the Georgia Secretary of State's My Voter Page online. Please note that if you usually vote at Porterfield Baptist Church in Bibb County, be aware that your polling location has moved to Mikado Baptist Church on Houston Road due to a water pipe issue. Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@ This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Election Day in Central Georgia: Local races on the ballot
Yahoo
4 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]
