Appeals court says Georgia may elect utility panel statewide, rejecting a ruling for district voting

By JEFF AMY
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — A federal appeals court has ruled that Georgia can keep statewide elections for its five-member commission regulating utilities. The Friday ruling overturns a lower court judge who found statewide elections for public service commissioners illegally diluted Black votes. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says federal courts must respect Georgia’s reasons for statewide elections. Plaintiffs decry the ruling as sanctioning discrimination. If the ruling stands, it could put three of five Georgia commission seats on 2024 ballots. Elections for two commissioners were delayed from 2022 by the lower court ruling. Retaining statewide elections enhances the chance that all five seats will remain in Republican hands