Lawsuit filed by Black voters registered in Fulton County, Georgia challenging the at-large method used to elect members of the Public Service Commission, which is responsible for regulating public utilities in Georgia. The plaintiffs allege the at-large elections used to select commissioners violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) by diluting Black voting power. In support of this argument, the plaintiffs note that \u201cCommissioners have been chosen by statewide election since 1906. Yet no African American has ever been elected to the Public Service Commission without having first been appointed by the governor. And even then, only one African American has ever served on the Commission.\u201d On Aug. 5, a federal judge determined that the commission\u2019s statewide elections dilute Black voting power in violation of the VRA and that \u201cwhile delaying elections\u2026until a later date will regrettably cause disruption to the candidates currently running for those offices, the court does not find that such disruption outweighs the important VRA interests that are implicated.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This case was then appealed to the 11th Circuit, which stayed (meaning paused) the district court\u2019s order. On Aug. 19, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the 11th Circuit’s stay, holding that 11th Circuit\u2019s misapplied the Purcell <\/em>principle but \u201cthe Eleventh Circuit may reconsider whether a stay pending appeal is appropriate subject to sound equitable discretion.\u201d On Aug. 19, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) withdrew his motion to stay the injunction pending appeal, meaning that elections for the Public Service Commission will not be held this November. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On Nov. 24, the 11th Circuit reversed the district court’s decision, thereby allowing the at-large method to elect members to the Georgia Public Service Commission to stand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On March 25, 2024, the plaintiffs appealed the 11th Circuit’s decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. On April 16, 2024, the 11th Circuit issued a ruling<\/a> to allow elections for the Georgia Public Service Commission for the first time in four years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On June 24, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear this case. The current process for electing members of the Georgia Public Service Commission remains in effect.
RESULT:<\/strong> On June 1, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court decline to hear a second attempt from Black voters seeking to revive their case. <\/p>\n\n\n\nCourtroom Updates<\/h2>\n\n\n