Voters in Georgia are losing the right to decide in a timely manner who goes and who stays on the state’s five-member Public Service Commission. The elections of the five have been pushed back following an unsuccessful attempt to change how the vote is held in Georgia’s 159 counties to put them in office.

Consequently, all five members will serve more years in office without having to face the electorate at the ballot box. It may even prove beneficial to them following the PSC’s vote to maintain the profits of Georgia Power with their decision to pay for billions of dollars in cost overruns during the expansion of Plant Vogtle on the backs of ratepayers.

The extended terms of office for PSC members began with the filing of a legal challenge by four Black residents in Fulton County to the way the five members are elected. They claimed that electing members statewide diluted Black voting strength and made it difficult for Black voters to elect the candidate of their choice. Therefore, those behind the lawsuit claimed, the election of PSC members was in violation of the Voting Rights Act.

The election of PSC members remained in limbo until the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals overturned the decision by the lower court last autumn, clearing the way for the state to continue to hold the election of commission members on a statewide basis.

Unfortunately for voters, an injunction issued by the lower federal court remained in place, compelling the state to cancel the scheduled 2022 and 2024 elections of PSC members.

It is unlikely that those PSC members who were planning to seek re-election mind very much. After all, it gives them some distance from their vote to jack up the cost of electricity provided by Georgia Power.

The timing could not have been worse for everyone. Higher bills for electricity usage hit individuals, families and businesses at a time inflation was climbing toward new heights. It added to the shrinkage of paychecks.

New election dates for PSC members already have been approved by the state House and Senate. The term of PSC member Fitz Johnson, set to expire in 2022, was extended four years to 2026. Tricia Pridemore’s term was to end in 2024, but the legislature extended hers to 2026. The terms of Lauren “Bubba” McDonald and Jason Shaw were to end in 2026 but will remain in effect until 2028.

Tim Echols, whose term was due to expire in 2022, was extended three years. His district will be on the ballot in May 2025 in conjunction with municipal election primaries.