In a surprising upset, Georgia voters elected Democrats Alicia Johnson and Peter Hubbard to the state's Public Service Commission, unseating Republican incumbents with nearly 63 percent of the vote. The wins, driven by frustration over rising power bills, mark the first Democratic victories on the commission in nearly two decades. While Republicans retain a 3-2 majority, the results signal potential shifts in utility policy and future elections.
Georgia's election on November 5, 2025, saw voters prioritize utility costs over party lines, handing Democrats Alicia Johnson and Peter Hubbard decisive victories over Republican incumbents Tim Echols and Fitz Jackson. Each Democrat secured close to 63 percent of the vote, flipping several counties that supported President Trump in 2020 and 2024. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens highlighted the results in his victory speech, noting the PSC races as the "first domino to fall for the Republicans."
The Public Service Commission regulates Georgia Power, the state's largest utility, which has seen six bill increases approved by the all-Republican board in the last three years. Voters, upset over these hikes and the utility's plans to meet data center demand primarily with natural gas, turned out for races typically overlooked. Georgia State University political scientist Tammy Greer attributed the shift to education on the PSC's impact: "When civic education is explained in how these offices impact one’s daily life... those messages have gotten through to the rural voters, and some of them made different choices."
Johnson, a candidate focused on clean energy, told Grist in June: "We need to invest in a smarter, more resilient grid that’s capable of handling the extreme weather that Georgia experiences while also expanding that access to clean energy." Hubbard, a clean energy consultant, won a one-year term. The newcomers join the commission in January, but Republicans will hold a 3-2 majority, with the chair likely remaining Republican.
Experts see room for bipartisan decisions. Charles Hua of PowerLines said: "A lot of the stuff that comes before a commission isn’t inherently always partisan because they’re generally making decisions based on... just and reasonable rates, affordability, reliability." Katie Southworth of the Clean Energy Buyers Association added: "We can’t say with confidence that votes will go 3-2 every single time... Interpersonal dynamics, policy priorities... will impact their voting."
Upcoming challenges include fuel costs and Hurricane Helene cleanup, where Georgia Power may seek bill increases despite earlier promises of flat or lower rates. Major decisions on the utility's integrated resource plan and rate case are due in 2028. With Peter Hubbard facing reelection in 2026 alongside Republican Tricia Pridemore, and statewide races for governor and U.S. Senate on the ballot, Greer noted: "It will be interesting to see what groundwork the Democrats do to try to capitalize on this... And what groundwork does the Republican Party do to try to mitigate what happened."
These results, the Democrats' first statewide non-federal wins since 2006, could influence clean energy transitions and power affordability amid Georgia's swing-state status.