Georgia bill would give utility regulators extra years in office without facing voters
Associated PressATLANTA — Georgia’s Public Service Commission is an elected body that’s gone years without having elections because of a redistricting lawsuit. But Brionte McCorkle, one of the plaintiffs in the case, said it’s bitterly ironic that commissioners currently face no elections at all and may get extra years in office. “Georgia will reset the election cycle to ensure that the PSC continues to have staggered elections.” Kennedy described the extra two years for Pridemore, McDonald and Shaw as “equitable” because Echols and Johnson have already served an extra two years without facing voters. McDonald said he “had nothing to do with it, zero information, input into it.” But the former state lawmaker said, “It’s not to me to second-guess the General Assembly of Georgia.” McCorkle, though, said the lack of elections means voters don’t get a say on what the commission is doing, and Georgia Power’s interests are protected. “These commissioners are sitting in these seats with no electoral accountability, but they’re fully empowered to keep making decisions on these massive proposals that Georgia Power keeps putting in front of them,” she said.
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