Aug 12, 2022 - Politics

Georgia public service commission elections will proceed in November

Emma Hurt

Illustration of a campaign button with a gavel on it. — Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

One week after a federal judge ruled Georgia's public service commission district structure disenfranchises Black voters, an appeals court ruled the November elections will proceed after all.

Driving the news: In a Friday filing, the 11th circuit court of appeals found it was too close to the elections to make such a change and doing so “'fundamentally alters the nature' of the upcoming elections."

Why it matters: The appeals court granted the defendants' request about the November elections without ruling on the bigger question, the constitutionality of how commissioners are elected.

Catch up quick: In last week’s decision a judge found the state’s utility regulatory body’s electoral structure—by which five at-large members are elected statewide but assigned to geographic districts—“unlawfully dilutes the votes of Black citizens under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.”

The big picture: Georgia's Public Service Commission regulates the state's investor-owned utilities including Georgia Power.

It sets customers' utility rates, can assess fines for pipeline safety and oversees the construction budget of projects like the massive Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant expansion.

What's next: Plaintiffs could seek emergency relief from the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the impending November elections specifically.

Add Axios on Google

Georgia public service commission elections will proceed in November

More Atlanta stories