Early voting has started for the Public Service Commission—the statewide entity that regulates for-profit energy companies. In Athens, grassroots organizers are preparing to get out the vote.
At a workshop Tuesday night, Athens Land Trust and the Southern Sustainability Institute gathered a small group to learn about the Public Service Commission, or PSC. Their goal—to prepare attendees to inform other voters about the election.
Derrick Moffitt is a member of the Athens Land Trust board. He says the event highlighted why PSC elections usually have low turnout.
“Most people have very little knowledge of what this organization actually does,” he said. “Most of us probably have no knowledge of what they do, and the power of what they do.”
The PSC approves how utility rates will change for major companies like Georgia Power—ultimately affecting consumers’ bills.
Two seats on the PSC are contested. As of Friday, 500 people in Athens-Clarke County have voted early. Citizens can cast ballots at various early voting sites until October 31st. On November 4, voters must visit their assigned precincts, which can be determined on the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page.
