ATLANTA — Georgia’s Public Service Commission is an chosen body that’s gone years without having elections since of a redistricting suit.
Anticipating that a court will order elections to resume, Georgia legislators now desire to include an additional 2 years to the six-year terms of commissioners on the all-Republican body.
The strategy, authorized Thursday by both the Georgia House and Senate in House Bill 1312, waitsfor the signature or veto of Gov. Brian Kemp.
The commission controls what Georgia Power Co. and some natural gas business charge. It has in current years permitted Georgia Power, a system of Atlanta-based Southern Co., to boost what it charges consumers.
The reordering of the staggered terms might avoid a bulk of the commission seats from being chosen at the verysame time, significance Democrats couldn’t take control in one election.
The expense stems from a claim that lookedfor to force commissioners to be chosen from districts, rather of statewide. A federal judge ruled in 2022 that statewide ballot unlawfully watereddown the power of Black citizens, prohibiting statewide elections and purchasing elections by district. It was the veryfirst time a statewide ballot plan hadactually been reversed by a federal judge. But a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the judgment in November, stating Georgia was totallyfree to pick its kind of federalgovernment for the commission.
Curiously, though, the 11th Circuit has neverever provided a last order in the case. That indicates the initial judge’s order stopping elections is still standing. Commissioners Tim Echols and Fitz Johnson were expected to run in 2022, however stay on the commission today. The verysame will takeplace lateron this year with Commissioner Tricia Pridemore, duetothefactthat Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has s