Public Service Commissioner, District 5 of Georgia · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Georgia public service commissioner, district 5 race?
Shelia Edwards has the strongest record in the Georgia public service commissioner, district 5 race. Shelia Edwards scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Josh Tolbert at 50, as of October 9, 2026. Shelia Edwards's highest marks are communication and roots in the constituency. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Strongest record
Shelia Edwards
56 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
Republican
Josh Tolbert
50 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Shelia Edwards
- On the record2024-05-21
Ran for Cobb County Commission chair in the May 2024 Democratic primary against incumbent Lisa Cupid, after a 2020 run for Cobb County Commission District 4.
Sources: Cobb Courier, May 22, 2024, Cobb Courier, April 2020
- On the record2022-07-14
A Cobb County judge ruled in July 2022 that the one-year PSC residency rule did not apply to the unexpired District 3 term she sought; she lived in Mableton, outside that district.
Source: GPB, July 13, 2022
- Credit2026-04-28
Took part in an April 28, 2026 debate among the three Democratic candidates for PSC District 5.
Josh Tolbert
- On the record2025
Spoke in public hearings against the PSC's approval of a large Georgia Power infrastructure expansion, per the Georgia Recorder.
- Credit2026-03-31
Took part in Atlanta Press Club debates on March 31 and in the June 2026 runoff.
Sources: Georgia Recorder, via WABE, June 8, 2026, WABE, June 3, 2026
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Shelia Edwards. No final order of the Georgia State Ethics Commission names her (list checked Oct. 9, 2026; 26-0056-C 'Edwards' is a different person). No PolitiFact file exists for her.
Source: Georgia State Ethics Commission, final orders list (checked Oct. 9, 2026)
Josh Tolbert. No final order of the Georgia State Ethics Commission names him (list checked Oct. 9, 2026). No PolitiFact file exists for him.
Source: Georgia State Ethics Commission, final orders list (checked Oct. 9, 2026)
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Shelia Edwards. No public record found.
Josh Tolbert. Spoke in public hearings against the PSC's approval of a large Georgia Power expansion, approved in late 2025 when all five commissioners were Republicans, his own party.
Sources: Georgia Recorder, via WABE, June 8, 2026, Ballotpedia, Josh Tolbert
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Shelia Edwards. Debated her Democratic primary rivals on April 28, 2026 and is scheduled for the Oct. 13 Atlanta Press Club general election debate with Josh Tolbert.
Sources: Atlanta Press Club, 2026 general election debate schedule, Capitol Beat via GPB, Sept. 22, 2026, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 29, 2026, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Oct. 9, 2026 (Atlanta Press Club debate schedule)
Josh Tolbert. Debated Republican rivals at the Atlanta Press Club on March 31, 2026 and in the June runoff, and is invited to the general election debate with Shelia Edwards.
Sources: Georgia Recorder, via WABE, June 8, 2026, WABE, June 3, 2026, Atlanta Press Club, 2026 general election debate schedule, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Oct. 9, 2026 (Atlanta Press Club debate schedule)
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Shelia Edwards. Business owner and community advocate who has held senior roles in Democratic party organizations, per her survey, with no formal conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Shelia Edwards, 2026 Candidate Connection survey
Josh Tolbert. Licensed professional engineer and business owner with no formal conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Josh Tolbert
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Shelia Edwards. No public record found.
Josh Tolbert. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Shelia Edwards. Business owner and community advocate; no government office.
Source: Ballotpedia, Shelia Edwards, 2026 Candidate Connection survey
Josh Tolbert. Licensed professional engineer with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering who has designed and developed power plants; no government office.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Josh Tolbert, 2026 Candidate Connection survey, WABE, June 16, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Shelia Edwards. Published positions in general terms, centered on stopping rate increases and having data centers pay their full grid costs.
Source: Ballotpedia, Shelia Edwards, 2026 Candidate Connection survey
Josh Tolbert. Published positions in general terms on technical review, affordability and protecting residential customers from data center costs.
Source: WABE, June 16, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Shelia Edwards. Three channels: completed Ballotpedia's 2026 candidate survey, a campaign website with positions and the Atlanta Press Club debate invitation.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Shelia Edwards, Atlanta Press Club, 2026 general election debate schedule
Josh Tolbert. Two channels: completed Ballotpedia's 2026 candidate survey and Atlanta Press Club debates. He did not complete the 2025 survey.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Josh Tolbert, WABE, June 3, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Shelia Edwards. Mableton resident in October 2026 per Capital B Atlanta; told the Cobb Courier in 2020 she moved to Cobb County in the early 1990s. Cobb County is in PSC District 5 under the 2022 map. In-state donor share not retrieved.
Sources: Capital B Atlanta via Yahoo News, Oct. 8, 2026, Cobb Courier, April 2020, SB 472 (2022), as signed, district list, GPB, July 13, 2022
Josh Tolbert. Lives in Smyrna, Cobb County, which lies in District 5. Years of residence not documented; in-state donor share not retrieved.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Josh Tolbert, 2026 Candidate Connection survey, Georgia Recorder, via Cobb Courier, April 20, 2026, Capital B Atlanta via Yahoo News, Oct. 8, 2026
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Shelia Edwards. Business owner per Ballotpedia; business name and size not retrieved.
Source: Ballotpedia, Shelia Edwards
Josh Tolbert. Engineer and business owner per Ballotpedia; business name and size not retrieved.
Source: Ballotpedia, Josh Tolbert
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Shelia Edwards. No public record found.
Josh Tolbert. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Shelia Edwards. No public record found.
Josh Tolbert. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Shelia Edwards. No public record found.
Josh Tolbert. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Shelia Edwards. No public record found.
Josh Tolbert. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Shelia Edwards. No public record found.
Josh Tolbert. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the Georgia public service commissioner, district 5 race?
Shelia Edwards has the strongest record in the Georgia public service commissioner, district 5 race. Shelia Edwards scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Josh Tolbert at 50, as of October 9, 2026. Shelia Edwards's highest marks are communication and roots in the constituency. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Georgia public service commissioner, district 5 race in 2026?
Shelia Edwards (Democratic), Josh Tolbert (Republican). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Shelia Edwards a good candidate for Public Service Commissioner, District 5?
Shelia Edwards scores 56 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Josh Tolbert a good candidate for Public Service Commissioner, District 5?
Josh Tolbert scores 50 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 50 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Georgia race scored, and the Georgia 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.