Louisiana Public Service Commission

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Louisiana Public Service Commission

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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
GovernorLieutenant GovernorSecretary of StateAttorney GeneralTreasurerSuperintendent of EducationAgriculture CommissionerInsurance CommissionerNatural Resources CommissionerLabor CommissionerPublic 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:

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]

Louisiana Public Service Commission District map

2024

See also: Louisiana Public Service Commission election, 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
Image of Jean-Paul Coussan
Jean-Paul Coussan (R)
 
53.9
 
225,468
Image of Nick Laborde
Nick Laborde (D) Candidate Connection
 
26.3
 
110,140
Image of Julie Quinn
Julie Quinn (R)
 
19.8
 
83,055

Total votes: 418,663
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

2022

See also: Louisiana Public Service Commission election, 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
Image of Davante Lewis
Davante Lewis (D)
 
59.5
 
53,001
Image of Lambert Boissiere III
Lambert Boissiere III (D)
 
40.5
 
36,098

Total votes: 89,099
Candidate Connection = candidate completed 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
Image of Lambert Boissiere III
Lambert Boissiere III (D)
 
43.2
 
98,003
Image of Davante Lewis
Davante Lewis (D)
 
18.3
 
41,533
Image of Gregory Manning
Gregory Manning (D) Candidate Connection
 
16.8
 
38,056
Image of Willie Jones
Willie Jones (D)
 
13.2
 
29,915
Image of Jesse Thompson
Jesse Thompson (D) Candidate Connection
 
8.6
 
19,599

Total votes: 227,106
Candidate Connection = candidate completed 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
Image of Mike Francis
Mike Francis (R)
 
59.1
 
146,437
Image of Shalon Latour
Shalon Latour (R)
 
21.6
 
53,630
Keith Bodin (No Party Affiliation)
 
19.3
 
47,748

Total votes: 247,815
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2020

See also: Louisiana Public Service Commission election, 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
Image of Eric Skrmetta
Eric Skrmetta (R)
 
61.8
 
55,987
Image of Allen Borne Jr.
Allen Borne Jr. (D)
 
38.2
 
34,639

Total votes: 90,626
Candidate Connection = 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
Image of Eric Skrmetta
Eric Skrmetta (R)
 
31.3
 
134,900
Image of Allen Borne Jr.
Allen Borne Jr. (D)
 
24.9
 
107,174
Image of J. Kevin Pearson
J. Kevin Pearson (R)
 
14.0
 
60,189
Image of John Mason
John Mason (R) Candidate Connection
 
13.4
 
57,652
Richard Sanderson II (R) Candidate Connection
 
8.2
 
35,502
John Schwegmann (Independent)
 
5.5
 
23,707
Image of William Boartfield Jr.
William Boartfield Jr. (G) Candidate Connection
 
2.8
 
11,890

Total votes: 431,014
Candidate Connection = 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 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
Image of Foster Campbell
Foster Campbell (D)
 
52.8
 
198,033
Shane Smiley (R)
 
47.2
 
177,228

Total votes: 375,261
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

2018

See also: Louisiana Public Service Commission election, 2018


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

The primary election was canceled. Craig Greene (R) won the election without appearing on the ballot.

2017

See also: Louisiana Public Service Commission election, 2017

Louisiana held an election for the seat representing District 2 on the Louisiana Public Service Commission on October 14, 2017. This special election was called after the previous commissioner, Scott Angelle, was appointed to a position in the federal government by President Donald Trump.

Craig Greene (R) defeated incumbent Damon Baldone (R) and Lenar Whitney (R) in the election to Louisiana Public Service Commission, District 2.

Election to Louisiana Public Service Commission, District 2, 2017
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Craig Greene 54.94% 43,000
     Republican Damon Baldone Incumbent 24.35% 19,058
     Republican Lenar Whitney 20.71% 16,207
Total Votes 78,265
Source: Secretary of State of Louisiana

2016

See also: Louisiana Public Service Commission election, 2016

The general election for Public Service Commission Districts 3 and 4 was held on November 8, 2016.

Incumbent Lambert Boissiere, III ran unopposed in the Louisiana public service commission, District 3 election.

Louisiana Public Service Commission District 3, 2016
Party Candidate
    Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Lambert Boissiere, III Incumbent (unopposed)
Source: The New York Times

Mike Francis defeated Mary Werner and Reldon Owens in the Louisiana public service commission, District 4 election.

Louisiana Public Service Commission District 4, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.png Mike Francis 53.66% 175,074
     Democratic Mary Werner 33.14% 108,134
     Republican Reldon Owens 13.20% 43,079
Total Votes 326,287
Source: The New York Times

2014

See also: Louisiana down ballot state executive elections, 2014

District 1

Public Service Commissioner of Louisiana, District 1 Runoff, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngEric Skrmetta Incumbent 50.8% 120,032
     Republican Forest Wright 49.2% 116,042
Total Votes 236,074
Election results via Louisiana Secretary of State Vote totals above are unofficial and reflect 100% precincts reporting.

District 5

Public Service Commissioner of Louisiana, District 5, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngFoster Campbell Incumbent 61.5% 169,098
     Republican Keith Gates 38.5% 105,918
Total Votes 275,016
Election results via Louisiana Secretary of State

2012

  • 2012 Primary Election

Scott Angelle (R) defeated four opponents in the blanket primary election on November 6, 2012. He earned over 57 percent of the vote, which qualified him to bypass the runoff election on December 8th.

Louisiana Public Service Commission Primary Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngScott Angelle 57.2% 213,485
     Democratic Forest Wright 20.5% 76,336
     Republican Erich Ponti 11.6% 43,287
     Republican Sarah Holliday 7.6% 28,214
     Independent Greg Gaubert 3.2% 11,758
Total Votes 373,080
Election results via Louisiana Secretary of State


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]

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.

Divisions

The organizational chart above shows the divisions within the Louisiana Public Service Commission.















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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Louisiana State Executive Offices
Louisiana State Legislature
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External links

Footnotes