The election on November 3 will decide the District 5 seat on the Georgia Public Service Commission. Democrat Shelia Edwards and Republican Josh Tolbert are running for a six-year term. The Commission currently has a partisan makeup of 3 Republicans and 2 Democrats. There is also an election this year for District 3
The Commission is composed of five members who serve staggered six-year terms. Although the commissioners are elected by a statewide vote, the state is divided into five districts and commissioners represent the district in which they reside. The Commission is tasked with regulating rates for electric and natural gas utilities, as well as promoting competitive markets for landline telecommunications services and monitoring service quality. It is required to “balance Georgia citizens’ need for reliable services and reasonable rates with the need for utilities to earn a reasonable return on investment.” The Commission sets rates only for investor-owned electric and natural gas utility companies while regulating some aspects of municipally owned services, including monitoring the safety of natural gas services. The Georgia Public Service Commission is established by Article IV, Section 1 of the Georgia Constitution.
In recent years the Public Service Commission has taken many significant actions. The Commission voted to authorize the construction of nuclear power reactors at Plant Vogtle, authorized two rate increases for Georgia Power customers in 2022 and 2023, voted to freeze rates in 2025, voted to lower rates in 2026, approved an investigation into whether data centers are shifting some costs to residential customers, and rejected a plan to expand net-metering, which would have incentivized more solar panel installation.
Here’s background on the candidates’ public statements, actions, and experience. Follow our links to get more information.
Shelia Edwards is currently a communications consultant at Kevin Ross Public Affairs Group, a publicist for the Mel Pender Foundation, and a graduate student at Georgia State University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Benedict College. She started her career working for Lockheed Space Operations. She has worked in communications and management roles for a number of Georgia political institutions, including Congressman David Scott’s office, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, DeKalb County, and the Georgia House Democratic Caucus Committee.
Edwards’s endorsements include: the Georgia Democratic Party, Georgia Conservation Voters, Make Gwinnett Great Again, Jane Fonda Climate PAC, Rachel’s Action Network, and former Atlanta Mayor and US Ambassador Andrew Young, among others.
Josh Tolbert currently works at Atlanta Experts, an engineering consulting business he founded. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, a master’s degree in engineering science and mechanics, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, and a PhD in mechanical engineering all from the University of Alabama. He has worked in engineering and technology roles at a number of energy companies in Alabama and Georgia since 2008 and taught mechanical engineering technology at Kennesaw State University from 2018 to 2019.
Tolbert’s endorsements include: state Senator Chuck Hufstetler, state Senator John Albers, state Senator Shawn Still, state Senator Ed Setzler, and state Representative Scott Hilton, among others.
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