Ain’t Nobody Talking about It – Including the Democratic Party
As quiet as it is kept, there is a significant statewide race to fill two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), and excuse my English, ain’t nobody talking about it—nobody, including the Georgia Democratic Party and the eight candidates vying to regulate public utilities in Georgia.
One would think that Georgia Democrats would welcome a chance to get back in the game after a devastating defeat last year from a presidential candidate who carried 34 felonious convictions into the November 2024 General Election.
If that was not enough incentive, the first 128 days of this administration were filled with one draconian executive order after another (143 executive orders in the first 100 days). This should have set a fire under Democrats to get their act together and have a plan in place to combat the Republican steamroll through Georgia and the other forty-nine states.
But no one is talking about the Public Service Commission races. The Georgia PSC is a five-member body. All five members are Republicans, including the first Black member. What better place to start to turn the tide on the Trump rollback of rights and to curtail public utilities from fleecing the pockets of Georgia families?
Early voting started in Georgia yesterday, May 27, 2025, and runs through June 13, ahead of primary elections on June 25, 2025. I have not seen a yard sign in my Southwest Atlanta community or on any corner at an intersection in Atlanta. No radio commercial, no television commercial, no mailer, nothing that tells me one of the most critical elections in the life of families in America is taking place in less than a month. Nothing but silence as Georgians grapple with high energy costs and juggle whether they can buy eggs this week.
Nobody is talking about it. Perhaps the Democrats are hoping for a low voter turnout, and the Democratic Party base can be excused for not voting because they did not know the most crucial election since the November 2024 General Election is taking place in twenty-nine days.
What Are the Perils of a Low Voter Turnout?
Low voter turnout can have serious consequences for democracy and governance. When fewer people participate in elections, the results may not accurately reflect the will of the broader population. Here are some key risks:
- Unequal Representation: Elections with low turnout often favor specific demographics over others, leading to policies that may not serve the interests of all citizens.
- Voter Apathy & Cynicism: When people feel their vote doesn’t matter, they disengage from the political process, reinforcing cycles of low participation.
- Incumbent Advantage: Lower turnout benefits incumbents, as fewer voters mean less competition and scrutiny.
- Policy Impact: Decisions made by elected officials may not align with the needs of the majority, particularly if turnout is skewed toward specific groups.
Legitimacy Concerns: Governments elected by a small fraction of the population may struggle with credibility and public trust.
Philadelphia recently experienced historically low voter turnout, with only 16% of eligible voters participating in a local election, raising concerns about growing voter apathy. Similarly, some Pennsylvania counties reported turnout as low as 25%, which could significantly impact local governance.
Boosting voter engagement through education, accessibility, and outreach is crucial to ensuring fair representation and a functioning democracy. An engaged electorate is the backbone of a healthy democracy. The system becomes more representative and accountable when people are informed and have easy access to the voting process.
Lack of information, accessibility issues, and disengagement contribute to low voter turnout, often reinforcing one another. If people don’t know where or how to vote, or if the process feels inconvenient or restrictive, they may decide it’s not worth the effort. And when they feel disconnected from the political system, they’re even less motivated to participate.
Efforts to address these barriers, like improving civic education, expanding early voting and mail-in ballot options, and making registration easier, can help more people engage. Some cities have succeeded with outreach campaigns that bring voter information directly to communities, ensuring no one feels left out of the process. It’s not the sole responsibility of the election officials to alert the public to an impending election. That’s the job and business of the political parties and the candidates.
So why is the Georgia Democratic Party silent on the PSC election?
In a recent congressional town hall in Georgia hosted by Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock, a constituent asked Warnock what the Georgia Democratic Party was doing to prepare for the midterm elections. Warnock dodged the question and said he would leave that to Charlie Bailey, the new Chair of the Georgia Democratic Party. Well, Charlie Bailey, you’d best get to work soon. The horse has already left the barn.
Does no one in the Democratic Party know how to take on the Republicans in the midterms next year?
Combining education, accessibility, and outreach can create a more comprehensive approach to boosting voter engagement.
When these efforts work together, they reinforce one another—education ensures voters understand the stakes, accessibility removes barriers to participation, and outreach brings the information directly to communities that may otherwise feel disconnected. It is virtually impossible to elect a Democrat to the Georgia PSC without, at a bare minimum, awareness that an election is imminent.
Stacey “Ma Dukes” Hopkins, a social media influencer and a community activist in Atlanta, posed a surprising question on her X page the day early voting started in Georgia for the PSC race.
“Did you know we actually have a statewide election going on now in Georgia?”
Increased voter engagement profoundly impacts local, state, and national elections, meaningfully shaping governance and policy decisions. Here are some key effects:
- More Representative Leadership: Higher turnout ensures elected officials reflect the community’s diverse perspectives and needs better.
- Greater Accountability: When more people vote, officials are held to higher standards, knowing they must appeal to a broader electorate.
- Policy Alignment: Decisions made by the state government are more likely to align with the priorities of the entire state rather than a small, engaged subset.
- Enhanced Civic Participation: A culture of voting fosters broader civic engagement, encouraging residents to participate in community initiatives beyond elections.
- Stronger Democratic Institutions: Increased turnout strengthens trust in government, reinforcing the legitimacy of election results and democratic processes.
Elections that have successfully boosted voter engagement often see more inclusive policies and improved public services.
WHY IS THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ELECTION IMPORTANT?
The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) is a regulatory body that oversees telecommunications, electric, and natural gas utilities in Georgia. Its mission is to ensure consumers receive safe, reliable, and reasonably priced services from financially stable and technically competent companies.
The PSC consists of five commissioners elected statewide and serving staggered terms. They hold public hearings where citizens can provide feedback on utility-related issues and manage utility assistance programs to help low-income customers afford essential services.
The PSC is crucial in regulating utilities like electricity, natural gas, and telecommunications, making these elections significant for Georgia residents. The people’s expectations for low-cost electric bills are on par with the necessity of having economically priced eggs on the grocery shelves. Yet the Democratic Party is not talking about the PSC election.
Meanwhile, Hopkins noted she voted for Daniel Blackman, who pushed Republican Lauren “Bubba” McDonald into a run-off for the District 4 seat in 2020. On the same day that Hopkins cast her ballot for Blackman, Georgia Administrative Law Judge Dominic Capraro issued an order disqualifying Blackman after Roger Steven, an Atlanta resident, filed a challenge to Blackman’s candidacy. Steven claimed that Blackman did not live in District 3 and was ineligible to hold the seat if he were the eventual winner.
Suddenly, there is a lot to talk about now. But instead of talking about how a Democrat on the PSC could bring much-needed relief to Georgians, the conversation is buzzing over whether an erstwhile extremely qualified Democratic candidate is trying to pull a fast one over Georgia voters by running for the district 3 seat while living in another district.
Blackman’s disqualification goes to Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who has thirty days to decide. Since Coleman’s name is already on the ballot, he remains a choice for Georgia voters. If Coleman wins the primary, a legal battle will likely ensue. His nomination could cloud the remaining campaign season when Democrats would rather discuss holding the line on rate hikes and curtailing high-energy users like data centers than whether their nominee can lawfully hold the office.
Despite this silence and on the backdrop of Blackman’s residency debacle, my household voted on the second day of early voting, around noon. We selected Robert Jones, who worked as a utility regulator in California before coming to Georgia. Just twelve people had cast a ballot ahead of us. The effort, or the lack thereof, put into the 2025 Georgia PSC contest is a potential bellwether of things to come in the 2026 midterms. The Blackman’s residency dispute only makes matters worse for Democrats.
And the beat goes on; Republican Congressman Buddy Carter launched a challenge to Georgia Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff a month ago and immediately hit Ossoff with a media blitz questioning whether Ossoff knows the difference between a woman and a man. While Carter paints a false narrative and boosts his support from Trump, we’ve not heard a peep from Ossoff. Carter controls the narrative and defines Ossoff in a false and unfavorable light.
Democrats, what are you’ll gonna do, mildew or barbecue?
Harold Michael Harvey, JD, is a two-time award-winning author for his memoir, Freaknik Lawyer: A Memoir on the Craft of Resistance, and the historical novel, Watch Night, Our Souls Cried out for Freedom: A Narrative History of Bethel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Macon, Georgia, from 1863 to 2023. Harvey is a past President of the oldest Black Bar Association in Georgia and founder of the Gate City Bar Association Hall of Fame. An avid baseball fan, he is a voting member of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. Harvey is an engaging public speaker. Contact Harvey at hmharvey@haroldmichaelharvey.com.