Alabama Public Service Commission

	Alabama Public Service Commission
	; ; ;
	General information
Office Type:	Partisan
Office website:	Official Link
Compensation:	$103,490
2013 FY Budget:	$24,866,611
Total Seats:	3
Term limits:	None
	Structure
Length of term:	4 years
Authority:	Code of Alabama, Title 37-1-1
Leadership:	Twinkle Cavanaugh (R)
Selection Method:	Elected
	Elections
Next election:	November 3, 2020
Last election:	November 6, 2018
	Other Alabama Executive Offices
	Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission

The Alabama Public Service Commission is a quasi-executive, elected agency of the Alabama state government, responsible for regulating the state's utility companies. The commission's mission is to "ensure a regulatory balance between regulated companies and consumers in order to provide consumers with safe, adequate and reliable services at rates that are equitable and economical."

Current officeholder

The current commissioners are President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh (R), Jeremy Oden (R) and Chip Beeker (R). Cavanaugh was first elected in 2012, Oden was appointed in 2012 and Beeker won office in 2014.^[1]

Authority

The Alabama Public Service Commission was created by the Alabama Legislature in 1915 out of the existing Railroad Commission created in 1881. Between 1881-1915 the duties of the commission were expanded to include regulating utilities that provided electricity, gas, water and steam, leading the legislature to decide on the change. Since then it has been further expanded to include utility rates, motor transportation companies, air carriers, and natural gas transmission and distribution.^[2]

The Public Service Commission's authority and duties and are established by Title 37 of the Code of Alabama.^[3]

Section 37-1-1:

A commission to be known as the Public Service Commission, consisting of a president and two associates who shall be competent persons and qualified electors of this state, is established.

Qualifications

The only qualification established for members of the Public Service Commission is that the incumbent may not be an employee or have any "pecuniary interest," including stock ownership, in any utility.^[4]

Code of Alabama, Section 37-1-6:

No person owning any stock in any utility, or in the employment of any utility or pecuniarily interested in any utility, as defined in this title, shall be eligible to the office of public service commissioner.

Elections

Click here to view a large-scale image of the Alabama state government organizational chart, as of 9/11/12.

Presidents of the Public Service Commission are elected on the first Tuesday after the first Monday every four years during presidential election years (2016, 2020, 2024, etc.). Two associate commissioners are elected every four years during congressional midterm election years (2018, 2022, 2026, etc.).^[5] Presidents assume office on the day after election.

Term limits

There are no term limits for the those on the Public Service Commission.

2020

See also: Alabama Public Service Commission election, 2020

General election candidates

Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
Laura Casey (Democratic Party)

Democratic primary candidates

Laura Casey ✔
Robert Mardis III

Republican primary candidates

Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh (Incumbent) ✔
Robin Litaker

2018

See also: Alabama Public Service Commission election, 2018

Place 1

General election

General election for Alabama Public Service Commission Place 1

Incumbent Jeremy Oden defeated Cara McClure in the general election for Alabama Public Service Commission Place 1 on November 6, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Jeremy Oden (R)	60.4	1,013,072
	Cara McClure (D)	39.5	662,581
	Other/Write-in votes	0.1	940

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,676,593 (100.00% precincts reporting)
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Alabama Public Service Commission Place 1

Cara McClure advanced from the Democratic primary for Alabama Public Service Commission Place 1 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate
✔		Cara McClure

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Alabama Public Service Commission Place 1

Incumbent Jeremy Oden defeated Jim Bonner in the Republican primary for Alabama Public Service Commission Place 1 on June 5, 2018.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Jeremy Oden	50.6	222,830
	Jim Bonner	49.4	217,721

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 440,551
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Place 2