Georgia Public Service Commission candidates: 4 candidates on ballot

Peter Hubbard, Fitz Johnson, Josh Tolbert and Shelia Edwards

ATLANTA - Georgia voters will decide two Public Service Commission races on Nov. 3. Although candidates represent individual districts, commissioners are elected statewide, so voters across Georgia can cast ballots in both contests. The commission’s decisions include utility rate cases and energy infrastructure proposals.

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The District 5 result could shift the commission’s party balance if Hubbard holds his District 3 seat. The commission currently has three Republicans and two Democrats.

District 3: Peter Hubbard and Fitz Johnson

Peter Hubbard, Democrat

Hubbard is the incumbent commissioner, elected in a 2025 special election to a one-year term. He defeated then-commissioner Johnson with nearly 63% of the vote and took office in January 2026. He is now seeking a full six-year term.

Before entering the commission, Hubbard worked in energy development and consulting, including solar and battery storage projects, utility planning and electricity-market analysis. He founded the nonprofit Georgia Center for Energy Solutions in 2019 and advocated before the PSC on behalf of consumers and clean energy.

Hubbard’s campaign centers on lowering utility bills, expanding clean energy and scrutinizing the costs of data centers and other large electricity users. He has called for closer review of Georgia Power’s spending and argued that data centers should pay the costs associated with their power demand, rather than shifting them to residential customers.

Fitz Johnson, Republican

Johnson was appointed to the PSC by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2021 and served until December 2025. A former U.S. Army major and business executive, he is a 21-year Army veteran and has led companies and nonprofit organizations. He holds degrees from The Citadel, Troy University and the University of Kentucky College of Law.

Johnson says his priorities are protecting ratepayers, maintaining reliable and affordable energy, promoting American energy production and keeping Georgia attractive to businesses. He has defended the PSC’s existing rules for large electricity users, saying they protect ratepayers from data center costs. During his previous tenure, he voted for a rate freeze and contract terms intended to have data centers cover their own infrastructure costs, as well as for Georgia Power rate increases and a major expansion of its power system.

Johnson also faced a challenge to his eligibility based on where he lived. A Georgia administrative law judge ruled in April that he could remain on the ballot, finding that his legal domicile was in District 3 despite evidence that he spent much of his time at a Cobb County home.

District 5: Josh Tolbert and Shelia Edwards

Josh Tolbert, Republican

Tolbert is a mechanical engineer, educator, expert witness and small-business owner. He says he has four engineering degrees, including a doctorate, and more than 15 years of experience working with power generation and industrial facilities. His work has included nuclear, coal, natural gas, biomass, geothermal and renewable energy, as well as leadership at a small modular nuclear reactor company.

Tolbert argues that technical and engineering experience should play a larger role in the PSC’s review of utility proposals. His campaign says he would prioritize affordable bills, reliable service and close scrutiny of major infrastructure investments. He has also said he supports customers having access to distributed power, including solar.

Shelia Edwards, Democrat

Edwards is a community advocate, journalist and business owner with more than 35 years of experience in corporate, government and communications roles. Earlier in her career, she worked for Lockheed Space Operations at Kennedy Space Center, supporting NASA’s space shuttle program. She previously won the Democratic primary for a PSC seat in 2022, but that year’s election was delayed amid litigation over how commissioners are elected.

Edwards’ campaign emphasizes affordable utility bills, consumer protection and greater transparency in PSC decisions. She says large energy users, including data centers, should pay their fair share of infrastructure costs. She has also supported expanding Georgia Power’s customer solar net-metering program.

SOURCES

2026 Elections Georgia Politics Politics Georgia

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