By Elliott Brack
Editor and publisher, GwinnettForum
JUNE 3, 2025 | Yeah, we agree: special elections are not fair to anyone. Georgia Voters will nominate three members of five persons on the Public Service Commission (PSC) on June 17. The primary is a key election, in that the PSC members regulate public utilities, including power, energy, and natural gas, plus broadband and railroads. But the June 17 voting is only the primary. (If needed, a primary runoff will be July 15, 2025.) The General Election for the PSC will be November 4, 2025.
PSC elections were last held in 2020 and have been on hold since 2022 due to a federal lawsuit alleging the election process for commissioners violates the Voting Rights Act. Recently the courts ruled the election may be held.
There are times when special elections are necessary, particularly to fill unexpected vacancies. Yet often people come to office through special elections and have not had the scrutiny that they would normally get as a candidate if the election was at normal times.
Special elections are not fair:
- To the voters: Usually special elections are hurried-up, since the vacancy in the office has come through death or resignation. The people have had little time to look closely at the candidates. The media sometimes knows little about the candidates, and has not had much time to check out their background.
- To the candidates: Again, suddenly the possibility of running for office has come up, and there is little time between the vacancy in the office and the date to qualify to run for that office. Some potential candidates just can’t react that quickly.
- To the office: Few qualified people may apply, meaning that the elected office-holder could win without having the background for the office. Unfortunately, the voters may not get highly-qualified office holders. Some candidates more unqualified for office may choose to run, and horrors!, they could win.
Regardless of the above, Georgians will vote on public service commissioners next month.
Those running for office are:
- District 2 Democrats: Alicia Johnson of Savannah.
- District 2 Republicans: Lee Muns of Harlem and Tim Echols of Hoschton.
- District 3 Democrats: David Blackman of Atlanta, Keisha Sean Waites of Atlanta, Peter Hubbard of Atlanta and Robert Jones of Brookhaven.
- District 3 Republicans: Fitz Johnson of Atlanta.
The three other current members of the PSC board are Jason Shaw of Lakeland, Ga., Lauren “Bubba” McDonald of Cumming, and Tricia Pridemore of Marietta, all Republican members.
For more details about this special election, we suggest that GwinnettForum readers click on this detailed report from The Decaturish Voter’s Guide online report.
While GwinnettForum normally makes recommendations on which candidates to vote for, it will not endorse individual candidates in these PSC races. However, GwinnettForum notes that in the past the PSC has been composed of only Republican office holders. For that reason alone, we will suggest readers consider adding diversity to this body by nominating Democratic candidates.
Early voting began on May 27 and ends on June 13. Polls are open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Polls will be open on June 7 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and June 8 from 12-5 p.m. Besides voting at the Elections Office on Grayson Highway in Lawrenceville, four other sites will be open for this voting. They are at George Pierce Park in Suwanee, Pinckneyville Center on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Berkeley Lake, Fire Station 20 in Loganville, and Centerville One Stop off Bethany Church Road.
CORRECTION: The Norcross city cemetery has 55 burial plots available, Michael Jones of the Norcross Public Works Department, says. However, no plots are for sale currently, awaiting approval of prices by the Norcross City Council. There are 851 bodies buried in the cemetery. GwinnettForum incorrectly reported in the last edition that “….the city has no map of the cemetery showing where people are buried, or how many are buried. The city has no way to determine where there are open spaces for future burials.” We regret the error.
- Have a comment? Click here to send an email.
