MAP: How your neighbors voted for Georgia Public Service Commission – FOX 5 Atlanta

MAP: How your neighbors voted for Georgia Public Service Commission  FOX 5 Atlanta

Democrats swept two pivotal seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission on Tuesday, fundamentally altering state regulatory control over household energy bills and utility rate approvals.The victories by Peter Hubbard and Shelia Edwards give consumer advocates fresh leverage over electric and natural gas rates across Georgia.The Associated Press called both statewide commission contests late Tuesday night as vote tallies showed decisive Democratic leads.The wins shift leadership on the five-member regulatory body that sets pricing for Georgia Power and other investor-owned utilitiesIn District 3, Democratic candidate Peter Hubbard defeated Republican Fitz Johnson after building his campaign around fierce opposition to recent utility rate increases.Johnson, who previously ran against Hubbard, centered his platform on power grid reliability and expanding domestic energy infrastructure.The Associated Press called the District 3 race for Hubbard at 10:38 p.m.

Tuesday.Democratic challenger Shelia Edwards secured the open District 5 seat over Republican Josh Tolbert.Edwards ran as an unapologetic consumer advocate dedicated to blocking consecutive monthly rate increases for families.Tolbert, a mechanical engineer, countered by emphasizing technical analysis of utility proposals and long-term grid planning.The Associated Press projected Edwards the winner at 10:54 p.m. Tuesday.The Georgia Public Service Commission directly governs how much money regulated utility companies can charge residents for natural gas and electricity.Commission votes decide whether energy providers can pass heavy infrastructure and operational expenditures straight to