PSC runoff candidates Peter Hubbard and Keisha Waites. Photos contributed by the candidates
It’s election day again in Georgia and voters will decide which candidate in the Democratic primary runoff will advance to November’s general election for a chance to win the District 3 seat on the Georgia Public Service Commission.
Keisha Waites, a former Atlanta City Councilwoman and ex-state representative, joins Peter Hubbard, a clean energy advocate, on Tuesday’s ballot. Waites was the frontrunner in the special primary election with a 16,110-vote advantage over Hubbard. Waites was just shy of the 50% vote threshold needed to avoid a runoff.
Robert Jones and Daniel Blackman were also competitors vying for the District 3 seat last month. Jones received just over 20% of the vote, and Blackman’s votes were not counted after a residency-based disqualification. District 3 includes Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties. Commissioners are elected statewide but must live in the district they hope to represent.
Tuesday’s runoff comes after a week of early voting where polls across the state saw a limited number of Georgians cast their ballots, with less than 33,000 cast ballots last week.
With only a 0.4% turnout so far, underwhelming voter participation is expected to continue through election day. Critics have warned that low turnout could be costly for several counties across the state. The cost to hold the election could exceed $100 per voter, according to the Associated Press.
The runoff winner will face GOP incumbent Commissioner Fitz Johnson in November’s general election. Johnson was appointed by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp in 2021.
If the election stays on track this year, it will be the first time in years since voters have elected commissioners to the regulatory panel. The commission oversees utilities like Georgia Power and helps decide what Georgians pay for those services.
A 2020 lawsuit argued that a statewide election for regional districts dilutes the voting strength of Black Georgians, noting that only one Black commissioner has ever been elected under that system. The lawsuit ultimately delayed regularly scheduled PSC elections and is currently pending with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Registered Georgia voters who did not cast Republican ballots in the June 17 primary are eligible to vote Tuesday through 7 p.m. Registration and polling place information can be checked at the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.
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This post was originally authored and published by Amber Roldan from Georgia Recorder via RSS Feed. Join today to get your news feed on Nationwide Report®.
