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Louisiana Public Service Commission
| Louisiana Public Service Commission | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $54,300 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $10,473,235 |
| Total Seats: | 5 |
| Term limits: | 2.5 in 3 consecutive terms |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 6 years |
| Authority: | Louisiana Constitution, Article 4, Section 21 A(1) |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
| Foster Campbell, Jean-Paul Coussan, Mike Francis, Davante Lewis, Eric Skrmetta | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | 2026 |
| Last election: | 2024 |
| Other Louisiana Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
The Louisiana Public Service Commission is a five-member executive board in the Louisiana state government. The commission was originally established by the Louisiana Constitution of 1921. It succeeded the Railroad Commission of 1898.[1]
Current officeholder
The current officeholders are:
- District 1: Eric Skrmetta (R)
- District 2: Jean-Paul Coussan (R)
- District 3: Davante Lewis (D)
- District 4: Mike Francis (R)
- District 5: Foster Campbell (D)
Authority
Article 4, Section 21 A(1) of the Louisiana Constitution establishes a Public Service Commission, headed by the chair, which is selected by the commission:
| There shall be a Public Service Commission in the executive branch. It shall consist of five members, who shall be elected for overlapping terms of six years at the time fixed for congressional elections from single member districts established by law. The commission annually shall elect one member as chairman...[2] |
Qualifications
Louisiana Public Service Commission members must be qualified electors from specific single-member districts. "An elector who at the time of qualification as a candidate has attained the age of eighteen years, resided in the state for the preceding two years, and been actually domiciled for the preceding year in the single-member district established by law from which he seeks election is eligible for election to the commission."[3]
Elections
Commissioners serve overlapping six-year terms and are elected the same time as congressional elections.[2]
Term limits
Article 4, Section 21 A(2) of the Louisiana Constitution establishes term limits for commissioners:
| No person who has served as a member of the commission for more than two and one-half terms in three consecutive terms shall be elected to the commission for the succeeding term...[2] |
2024
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 2
Jean-Paul Coussan won election outright against Nick Laborde and Julie Quinn in the primary for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 2 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jean-Paul Coussan (R) | 53.9 | 225,468 |
 | Nick Laborde (D)  | 26.3 | 110,140 | |
 | Julie Quinn (R) | 19.8 | 83,055 | |
| Total votes: 418,663 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Craig Greene (R)
2022
District 3
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
General election
General election for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 3
Davante Lewis defeated incumbent Lambert Boissiere III in the general election for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 3 on December 10, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Davante Lewis (D) | 59.5 | 53,001 |
 | Lambert Boissiere III (D) | 40.5 | 36,098 | |
| Total votes: 89,099 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 3
Incumbent Lambert Boissiere III and Davante Lewis defeated Gregory Manning, Willie Jones, and Jesse Thompson in the primary for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 3 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Lambert Boissiere III (D) | 43.2 | 98,003 |
| ✔ | | Davante Lewis (D) | 18.3 | 41,533 |
 | Gregory Manning (D) | 16.8 | 38,056 | |
 | Willie Jones (D) | 13.2 | 29,915 | |
 | Jesse Thompson (D) | 8.6 | 19,599 | |
| Total votes: 227,106 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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District 4
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 4
Incumbent Mike Francis won election outright against Shalon Latour and Keith Bodin in the primary for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 4 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Mike Francis (R) | 59.1 | 146,437 |
 | Shalon Latour (R) | 21.6 | 53,630 | |
| Keith Bodin (No Party Affiliation) | 19.3 | 47,748 | ||
| Total votes: 247,815 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2020
District 1
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
General election
General election for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 1
Incumbent Eric Skrmetta defeated Allen Borne Jr. in the general election for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 1 on December 5, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Eric Skrmetta (R) | 61.8 | 55,987 |
 | Allen Borne Jr. (D) | 38.2 | 34,639 | |
| Total votes: 90,626 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 1
The following candidates ran in the primary for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 1 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Eric Skrmetta (R) | 31.3 | 134,900 |
| ✔ | | Allen Borne Jr. (D) | 24.9 | 107,174 |
 | J. Kevin Pearson (R) | 14.0 | 60,189 | |
 | John Mason (R) | 13.4 | 57,652 | |
| Richard Sanderson II (R) | 8.2 | 35,502 | ||
| John Schwegmann (Independent) | 5.5 | 23,707 | ||
 | William Boartfield Jr. (G) | 2.8 | 11,890 | |
| Total votes: 431,014 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
District 5
Louisiana elections use the majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 5
Incumbent Foster Campbell won election outright against Shane Smiley in the primary for Louisiana Public Service Commission District 5 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Foster Campbell (D) | 52.8 | 198,033 |
| Shane Smiley (R) | 47.2 | 177,228 | ||
| Total votes: 375,261 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Scotty Waggoner (R)
Past elections
Vacancies
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that details the process of filling vacancies for a state executive office. That information for the Louisiana Public Service Commission has not yet been added. After extensive research, we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Duties
Article 4, Section 21 B of the Louisiana Constitution outlines the powers and duties of the commission:[2]
- Regulate all common carriers and public utilities and have such other regulatory authority as provided by law.
- Adopt and enforce reasonable rules, regulations and procedures necessary for the discharge of its duties, and shall have other powers and perform other duties as provided by law.
State budget
- See also: Louisiana state budget and finances
The Public Service Commission's budget for fiscal year 2025 was $10,473,235.[4]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2023
In 2023, each commissioner received a salary of $54,300, according to the Louisiana Division of Administration.[5]
2022
In 2022, each commissioner received a salary of $54,300, according to the Louisiana Division of Administration.[6]
2021
In 2021, each commissioner received a salary of $45,000, according to the Louisiana Division of Administration.[7]
2020
In 2020, each commissioner received a salary of $45,000, according to the Louisiana Division of Administration.[8]
2019
In 2019, each commissioner received a salary of $45,000, according to the Louisiana Division of Administration.[9]
2018
In 2018, each commissioner received a salary of $45,000, according to the Louisiana Division of Administration.[10]
2017
In 2017, each commissioner received a salary of $45,000, according to the Louisiana Division of Administration.[11]
2016
In 2016, each commissioner received a salary of $45,000, according to the Louisiana Division of Administration.[12]
2015
In 2015, each commissioner received a salary of $45,000, according to Louisiana state statute.[13]
2014
In 2014, each commissioner received a salary of $45,000, according to Louisiana state statute.[13]
2013
In 2013, each commissioner received a salary of $45,000, according to Louisiana state statute.[13]
2012
In 2012, each commissioner received a salary of $45,000, according to Louisiana state statute.[13]
2011
In 2011, each commissioner received a salary of $45,000, according to Louisiana state statute.[13]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Louisiana Public Service Commission has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Louisiana Public Service Commission. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Louisiana Public Service Commission
Galvez Building, 12th Floor
602 North Fifth Street
Post Office Box 91154
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821-9154
Phone:
- 225-342-4404
- 225-342-4999
- 800-256-2397
Fax: 225-342-2831
See also
| Louisiana | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Louisiana Public Service Commission, "Homepage," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Louisiana State Legislature, "Louisiana Constitution of 1974," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Louisiana Revised Statutes, "RS 45:1161.1," accessed December 21, 2022
- ↑ Louisiana House of Representatives, "FY 2025 State Budget Tracker," accessed January 17, 2025
- ↑ Louisiana Division of Administration, "Boards and Commissions—Public Service Commission," accessed October 27, 2023
- ↑ Louisiana Division of Administration, "Boards and Commissions—Public Service Commission," accessed October 27, 2023
- ↑ Louisiana Division of Administration, "Boards and Commissions—Public Service Commission," accessed September 26, 2022
- ↑ Louisiana Division of Administration, "Boards and Commissions—Public Service Commission," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Louisiana Division of Administration, "Boards and Commissions—Public Service Commission," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Louisiana Division of Administration, "Boards and Commissions—Public Service Commission," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Louisiana Division of Administration, "Boards and Commissions—Public Service Commission," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ Louisiana Division of Administration, "Boards and Commissions—Public Service Commission," accessed January 19, 2021
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Louisiana Constitution, "RS 45:1162," accessed January 19, 2021
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