One of Georgia’s 2025 Public Service Commission races is headed to a runoff, after no candidate in the District 3 Democratic primary secured a majority of votes in Tuesday’s election.
Former Atlanta City Council member Keisha Waites will face Peter Hubbard in a runoff on July 15, after earning 47% of the vote to Hubbard’s 32%. A third candidate, Robert Jones, was eliminated after receiving 20%.
The winner of the runoff will take on incumbent Republican Fitz Johnson in November. Johnson, who ran unopposed in the GOP primary, was appointed to the commission in 2021 by Governor Brian Kemp. He has yet to face voters, after his initial election was postponed. The District 3 winner will serve through 2026 and may seek a full six-year term in the next election cycle, following a legislative change to PSC term lengths.
In the District 2 Republican primary, incumbent Tim Echols secured his party’s nomination. Echols has served on the commission since 2011 and will face Democrat Alicia Johnson, who ran unopposed, in the general election.
While Georgia typically holds statewide elections in even-numbered years, these PSC races were delayed due to a lawsuit challenging the state’s method of electing commissioners. No PSC elections have been held since 2022.
The Georgia Public Service Commission wields considerable influence over utility regulation, including what Georgia Power—the state’s largest electricity provider—can charge consumers.
