Georgia’s 159 counties are recounting votes cast in the May 19 Republican primary for the District 3 Public Service Commission.
Fitz Johnson won that race, beating Brandon Martin by just 2,947 votes. That put the vote spread within the 0.5% margin that allows for a recount by Georgia law. Martin requested the recheck on June 5, the same day the race was certified.
The five-member Public Service Commission regulates investor-owned utilities, with much of its attention focused on Georgia Power. The commission’s decisions influence both the price of electricity for millions of Georgians and the company’s reliance on climate-warming fuels.
Johnson was appointed to the commission in 2021, but lost that seat in November when voter backlash against rising electricity prices spelled defeat for him and his Republican colleague Tim Echols. Johnson’s former seat is being contested again this year because a lawsuit prompted the cancellation of the PSC elections in 2022. The legislature then created a new schedule of rotating elections to get the five seats back on a normal cycle for six-year terms.
Johnson overcame a residency challenge to his candidacy in April despite evidence he signed loan documents that committed him to live in a $1.3 million house outside of District 3. Commissioners are elected statewide, but must live in the district connected to the seat for which they’re running.
Counties are required to finish the recount by June 26. Georgia regulations prescribe the recounts to be “conducted by tabulating all ballots utilizing ballot scanners.”
“Some counties started last week,” Director of Elections Blake Evans wrote in an email to The Current GA. “Others will start after they certify the current runoff.”
The latter is the case with Chatham County, which will hold its recount beginning 10 a.m. June 24 at the Chatham County Board of Elections.
Elections Supervisor Brook Schreiner said the county will use two scanners to doublecheck 54,000 ballots. Even with the machine recount, “it might take all day,” she said.
The Secretary of State’s office posts recount results as they come in. By Thursday afternoon, nine counties — including Glynn — had fully reported their results.
If the recount determines the original count was incorrect, the results will be recertified.
The Tide brings regular notes and observations on news and events by The Current staff.
This article appears in 2026 Elections: Candidate lists, news.
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