Six candidates are running for three of five seats on the Montana Public Service Commission on Nov. 5, 2024. Districts 2 and 3 are open. An incumbent is running in District 4.
The Daily Montanan’s Keila Szpaller wrote, “The PSC has been in the public eye recently because commissioners have approved significant rate hikes requested by both NorthWestern and Montana-Dakota Utilities.” Opposition to the rate increase has been a central focus for some candidates. Montana Free Press’s Amanda Eggert wrote that in Districts 2 and 3, the candidates were “entering Montana’s political fray for the first time, arguing that Montana ratepayers could benefit from regulators eager to challenge the status quo.” Commissioner James Brown (R) defended the commission’s vote saying, “I am as concerned as all of my colleagues about the amount of increase that’s being allocated to the residential class. But it’s not an arbitrary and capricious decision…It’s what the evidence informed us should legally happen.”
District 2 spans the southern part of the state, including Bozeman and Billings. Incumbent Tony O’Donnell (R) is term-limited and is retiring from public office. Susan Bilo (D) and Brad Molnar (R) are running.
Bilo is a professor at Montana State University- Gallatin College. Bilo said she decided to run because “with the recent electricity and natural gas rate hikes, I felt Montana’s hard-working citizens and businesses are not being fairly represented and protected by their current PSC representatives.” Molnar is a member of the Montana Senate for District 28 and a former member of the Public Service Commission. Molnar says he is running because “the availability of affordable and reliable energy is the largest challenge between now and 2030…This will cost $billions without a measurable difference. This is the fight I want to be in and use my experience to win.”
District 3 spans the southwestern and central part of the state and includes Bozeman and Helena. Incumbent James Brown (R) is running for commissioner of securities and insurance. Leonard Williams (D) and Jeffrey Welborn (R) are running.
Williams is an electrician and president of the Southwest Montana Central Labor Council. Williams says he wants “to bring public service back to the Public Service Commission, and to be the voice of its Constituents.” Welborn is a member of the Montana Senate for District 36. Welborn says he is running because “as a long-time public servant, and small business owner, I have the experience needed to protect customers from unfair rate increases, and promote investment in Montana’s energy future.”
District 4 covers the northwestern part of the state and includes Missoula. Incumbent Jennifer Fielder (R) and Elena Evans (I) are running.
Fielder was first elected in 2020, defeating Monica Tranel (D) 52.1% to 47.9%. Her website says she “has been instrumental in transforming the once beleaguered agency into a high-performing model of good governance that saves Montanans money and optimizes essential public services.” Fielder voted for the increase in energy rates and has defended her vote, saying, “I would like to be able to say no to any cost increases…But the reality is we have to follow the law, and we have to allow utility companies that we regulate to recover their legitimate expenses.” Evans is a geologist. She said she is “running as an Independent for the Public Service Commission because we can’t afford another 28% increase on our power bills.” Evans says she ran as an independent because “I don’t think the Public Service Commission really needs to be partisan…There’s a clear job and I know I could do a good job of it.”
Montana is one of six states with Public Service Commission elections in 2024. To read more about which states are holding these elections, click here.