The Georgia runoff election Tuesday features two and only two statewide races.
The secretary of state’s office certainly has some power over elections and voter registration. But the public service commission has much more influence on the pocketbooks of Georgia residents.
"The Georgia Public Service Commission is probably the most powerful elected office that no one’s ever heard of," said Ted Terry, director of the Sierra Club of Georgia.
The PSC actually started as the Georgia Railroad Commission 139 years ago. Then it morphed into a telephone regulator – but now makes its name as a regulator of energy utilities. That means approving energy plants like nuclear plant Vogtle, a new pricey reactor under construction near Augusta.
But it also means nurturing emerging energy sources in Georgia.
"The commissioners have been pretty supportive, as a body, of solar energy," Terry said.
There are five Republicans on the PSC. Chuck Eaton is one of them. Democrat Lindy Miller wants to replace him. Terry said that one seat could sway some big votes.
"It’s a five-member commission, so three votes is a majority," Terry said. "And in the past, there have been three-to-two votes, particularly on increasing large scale solar development," Terry, who is backing Miller, explained.
The other office on the runoff ballot is Secretary of State. Many people don’t know the secretary of state, like the PSC, is also a regulator. Its website lists 41 licensed professions in the secretary of state’s purview – ranging from athletic trainers to electrical contractors to funeral directors to librarians to used car dealers.
But it’s best known for its role in election management and voter registration. Republican Brad Raffensperger faces Democrat John Barrow – who have bitterly disagreed over election access and election security.
We know that 2 million Georgians voted early for the November election. Early voting turnout for the runoff, which ended Friday, was 80 percent lower.
Election day is Dec. 4.