Public Service Commissioner District 5 in Statewide, Georgia

2026 Primary Election

• Bobby Mehan — Small business owner and mediator in Bremen, GA, GA

  Bobby Mehan is a small business owner and mediator seeking election to the Georgia Public Service Commission District 5 in 2026. With a background in political science and strategic planning from the University of West Georgia, Mehan brings a customer-first approach to public service. He pledges no new rate increases, advocating for disciplined planning to balance Georgia's growth with affordability for families. Actively involved in the Bremen community, Mehan is married with three daughters and is an avid outdoorsman, focusing on accountability and accessible representation.

• Carolyn Tatum Roddy — Special Advisor, Federal Communications Commission in Marietta, GA

  Carolyn Tatum Roddy is a lifelong Georgian and Republican attorney running for the Georgia Public Service Commission, District 5, in the 2026 Primary Election. An alumna of the University of Georgia, she brings extensive experience in utility regulation, having served nearly 18 years at the Federal Communications Commission as a Special Advisor. Roddy also held roles as a Trump administration appointee at the USDA Rural Utilities Service and was an aide to former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich. She advocates for protecting ratepayers, modernizing the grid, and holding monopolies accountable, prioritizing the scrutiny of rate cases to halt runaway rate hikes.

• Joshua Aaron Tolbert — Expert Engineering Consultant in Smyrna, GA

  Josh Tolbert is an engineer, husband, father, and neighbor running for the Georgia Public Service Commission. He has dedicated his career to solving technical problems related to energy systems, reliability, and safety. Tolbert believes Georgia's critical energy planning era demands leaders with real-world engineering experience in power plants and industrial settings. His platform prioritizes protecting ratepayers, strengthening grid reliability, demanding transparency, aligning risks, and making fact-based decisions. He aims to bring practical, solutions-focused leadership to ensure a reliable, affordable, and responsible energy future for all Georgians.

• Craig L Cupid — Attorney in Smyrna, GA

  Craig L. Cupid is a Democratic candidate for Georgia Public Service Commission, District 5. Born to Trinidadian parents and raised in Augusta, he is an engineer and attorney, holding degrees from Georgia Tech and Georgia State University College of Law. He and his wife, Lisa, live in Smyrna with their two sons. Cupid is committed to transparency in utilities regulation, vowing to accept no funds from utilities, and advocating for innovative policies to benefit all Georgians. He emphasizes bringing engineering rigor to PSC decisions, ensuring ratepayers receive value, and prioritizing rate accountability, fair cost allocation for large users, and reliable power. He is endorsed by former GA Governor Roy Barnes and Congresswoman Nikema Williams.

• Shelia Edwards — Business owner, publicist, and publisher in Mableton, GA, GA

  Shelia Edwards is a Democratic candidate for the Georgia Public Service Commission, District 5, in the 2026 primary election. Her campaign emphasizes putting “People Before Profits” and restoring “Real Service” to the commission. With a Bachelor's in Journalism, her professional background includes being a business owner, publicist, and publisher. She has extensive experience in public affairs and communications, having served as interim executive director of the Georgia House Democratic caucus, district director for a state representative, and held leadership roles in county and city government communications. Her policy positions advocate for protecting communities, lowering energy costs, accelerating the clean energy transition, ensuring fair contributions from corporate users, and preventing excessive utility rate hikes for families.