Democrat Shelia Edwards is running for Georgia Public Service Commission District 5 in the Nov. 3, 2026, election. Republican Josh Tolbert is also seeking the seat. The commission’s elections are statewide, so the district number does not restrict voting to residents of that district.
Edwards describes a background in communications and community advocacy on her campaign biography.
Rates and data centers
Her platform emphasizes affordable electric bills, scrutiny of Georgia Power’s requested charges and greater transparency in utility decisions. She wants data centers to cover the infrastructure costs of serving them rather than shifting those costs to households and small businesses.
Authority and implementation
The five-member PSC regulates rates and service for utilities under its jurisdiction. It does not set every electric, water or telecommunications bill in Georgia; its authority varies by utility and service.
Edwards could vote on rate cases and advocate changes alongside other commissioners. She could not independently set rates. The materials reviewed do not quantify a promised reduction in monthly bills or provide a complete financing and implementation plan. Any savings would depend on specific commission decisions and the utilities affected.
The Alpharetta-Milton Chronicle did not receive a direct questionnaire response from the candidate and does not endorse candidates.
