by Amber Roldan, Georgia Recorder, [This article first appeared in the Georgia Recorder, republished with permission]

July 15, 2025

This story was updated at 5:25 p.m. on Tuesday, July 16, 2025. 

Peter Hubbard, a clean energy advocate, secured the Democratic Party nomination for the District 3 Georgia Public Service Commission seat Tuesday evening. 

His decisive victory allows him to advance to November’s general election where he will face GOP incumbent Commissioner Fitz Johnson. 

The commission regulates utilities like Georgia Power and plays an important role in deciding how much Georgians pay for those services. 

“I am grateful to be nominated the Democratic PSC candidate for District 3,” Hubbard said in a statement Tuesday night. “The PSC general election this Nov. 4 matters to all Georgians because power bills are skyrocketing, no one is holding the current Republican PSC accountable, and voters have the power to change that.” Keisha Waites was the top vote-getter in the first round of voting last month but she came up short in Tuesday’s runoff. Photo contributed by Keisha Waites

Hubbard’s victory was thanks to more than 18,000 votes over Keisha Sean Waites, his opponent who found greater success in the first round of voting last month. Despite winning 47% of primary votes in June, Waites came up short Tuesday and lost the chance to take on Johnson in the fall. The former state representative and previous Atlanta City Councilwoman focused her campaign around her legislative experience and public service history. 

Waites vowed Tuesday night to stay engaged in this year’s election.

“We will support the Democratic nominee Peter Hubbard and work tirelessly to ensure a victory in the general election this November. Our focus now shifts to uniting behind a shared vision for a Public Service Commission that truly serves the public,” Waites said in a statement.

District 3 includes Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties. Dekalb and Fulton were two counties where Hubbard was able to run up the score Tuesday night. He received thousands of votes more than Waites in each county, a lead that helped cement his victory.

After his second place finish in the primary last month, Hubbard worked to overcome Waites’ initial advantage. 

With more than a dozen endorsements posted on his personal website, the support of Georgia officials and activists also became a prominent part of Hubbard’s campaign. Georgia Sen. Elena Parent, state Rep. Saira Draper and Atlanta City Councilman Jason Dozier were some of the most notable supporters.

As a statewide election, Georgia voters who did not cast Republican ballots in last month’s primary were eligible to vote in Tuesday’s runoff. Despite over 7 million active voters across the state, voter turnout remained low. 

Rising utility rates and increased energy demands dominated the primary election campaigns, and those debates will likely continue ahead of the general election. The sitting commissioners have faced criticism for allowing Georgia Power to raise rates by an average of $43 per month since 2023.

The winners of the November election will be the first elected commissioners since 2020. Regularly scheduled PSC elections were delayed after a 2020 lawsuit challenged the statewide electoral process and its impact on Black voters. The lawsuit is currently pending with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and still has the potential to cause additional delays.

The District 2 PSC seat will also be on November ballots. In that race, Democrat Alicia M. Johnson is aiming to unseat Republican incumbent Commissioner Tim Echols, who has held onto his chair since 2011. Fitz Johnson was appointed to the District 3 seat in 2021. Photo from the governor’s office

Fitz Johnson, the GOP incumbent who ran unopposed in the District 3 Republican primary, hopes to be elected after a 2021 appointment to the commission by Gov. Brian Kemp. 

“The Public Service Commission may not grab headlines, but it’s one of our last lines of defense against the kind of energy chaos we’re seeing in California,” Johnson said in a Tuesday statement. “Georgia can’t afford rolling blackouts or unchecked spending. I’m committed to keeping energy reliable, affordable, and grounded in conservative principles.”

If Hubbard’s attempt to replace Johnson is successful, he could be the only Democrat on the regulatory board that currently consists of five Republicans. A Tuesday statement from both Republican incumbents facing voters this year pledged their joint support and shared goal of protecting Georgia from “liberal overreach.”

“We are a united front,” the candidates said in a joint statement. “We are committed to defending Georgia ratepayers, standing against reckless progressive agendas, and ensuring that our state remains a national model for affordable, reliable energy.”

Hubbard showed a similar sense of solidarity with the District 2 Democratic candidate, Alicia Johnson.

“Democrats Peter Hubbard and Dr. Alicia Johnson are the best choice for the PSC in November because they come ready with experience, plans, and grit to fight for seniors, low income households, and all those who deserve a lower power bill,” Hubbard said.

The winner of this year’s election will serve a one-year term and be back on the ballot again next year. The special PSC general election is scheduled for Nov. 4. Early voting starts Oct. 14.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the ownership information of an anti-Keisha Waites website. 

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jill Nolin for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com.