(NewsNation) — After years of stalled elections for Georgia’s utilities board, two incumbent Republicans are facing off against Democratic challengers in a special election Tuesday.
The state’s Public Service Commission — made up of five elected commissioners and dozens of staff members — determines electricity, natural gas and telephone pricing for the Peach State’s population.
The past two PSC races were put on hold after a federal judge determined the way Georgia elected its commissioners violated the Voting Rights Act, and court battles ensued. Since the first delay in 2022, the board has approved six utility rate hikes for Georgians.
While candidates must reside in their district, voters statewide can cast their ballots for the position, which serves a four-year term.
In District 2, which covers Eastern Georgia, including the cities of Augusta and Athens, Democrat Alicia Johnson is projected to unseat Republican Tim Echols.
Alicia Johnson, a career consultant in nonprofit and human services work, refers to herself as a candidate with “30 years of experience in people-centered policy,” and she has not held elected public office before. Her platform centers around affordable and renewable energy.
Incumbent Echols has been on the PSC since 2011 and advocates for “carbon-free nuclear energy plus solar” as the way forward for Georgia.
District 3 incumbent Fitz Johnson is projected to lose against Democrat Peter Hubbard to represent the state’s metro of Atlanta along with Fulton and DeKalb Counties.
Fitz Johnson, an Army veteran and chair of the PSC’s energy committee, was appointed in 2021 to fill a vacancy. Hubbard, an expert witness in previous PSC proceedings, is a strong advocate for clean energy and lowering electric bills.
Employees and executives at Georgia’s largest utility companies have donated at least $77,000 to Echols and Fitz Johnson’s campaigns, according to local reporting that referenced Georgia ethics commission documentation.
Some funding for the Democratic candidates has come from outside Georgia, including $8,400 from the Jane Fonda Climate PAC and $5,000 from Climate Action PAC to Alicia Johnson, per Georgia Public Radio. Echols has accused the Democratic pair of having “the backing of well-funded groups,” though the full details of donations are unknown.
The Atlanta Press Club hosted a debate in October, but only Hubbard attended. The other three candidates declined to participate.
Polls in Georgia will close at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Follow election results in the tracker below: