2012 Georgia state elections

2012 Georgia Public Service Commission District 5 election
← 2006 November 6, 2012 2018 →
	County results; Wise: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%; Staples: 50–60% 60–70%
Commissioner before election; Stan Wise; Republican	Elected Commissioner ; Stan Wise; Republican

2012 Georgia Public Service Commission District 3 election
← 2006 November 6, 2012 2018 →
	Eaton: 40-50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%; Oppenheimer: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90%
Commissioner before election; Chuck Eaton; Republican	Elected Commissioner ; Chuck Eaton; Republican

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Georgia on November 6, 2012. Along with the presidential election, all of Georgia's fourteen seats in the United States House of Representatives and all seats in both houses of the Georgia General Assembly were up for election, as were two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission. Primary elections were held on July 31, 2012. Primary runoffs, necessary if no candidate wins a majority of the vote, were held on August 21.^[1]

Federal Elections

Despite incumbent president Barack Obama winning the overall election, Republican Mitt Romney won the state with 53.3% of the popular vote and earned 16 electoral votes in total.

Republicans won 9 out of 14 districts after a newly drawn congressional map was approved and signed by Governor Nathan Deal.

All 56 seats in the Georgia State Senate and 180 seats in the Georgia House of Representatives were up for election.^[2]^[3]

Party		Before	After	Change
	Republican	36	38	2
	Democratic	20	18	2
Total		56	56

Party		Before	After	Change
	Republican	114	119	5
	Democratic	63	60	3
	Independent	1	1
	Vacant	2	0	2
Total		180	180

District 3 (Metro Atlanta) and District 5 (Western) of the Georgia Public Service Commission were up for election.^[4]

Incumbent commissioner Chuck Eaton sought re-election to a second term in office.^[5]

Republican primary results^[7]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Chuck Eaton (incumbent)	506,062	59.89
	Republican	Matt Reid	338,858	40.11
Total votes			844,920	100

2012 Georgia Public Service Commission District 3 election^[8]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Chuck Eaton (incumbent)	1,858,663	52.10
	Democratic	Stephen Oppenheimer	1,537,923	43.10
	Libertarian	Brad Ploeger	171,138	4.80
Total votes			3,567,724	100
	Republican hold

Incumbent commissioner Stan Wise sought re-election to a fourth term in office.^[5]

Republican primary results^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Stan Wise (incumbent)	470,937	56.51
	Republican	Pam Davidson	362,424	43.49
Total votes			833,361	100

2012 Georgia Public Service Commission District 5 election^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Stan Wise (incumbent)	2,110,146	65.83
	Libertarian	David Staples	1,095,115	34.17
Total votes			3,205,261	100
	Republican hold

Three seats on the Georgia Supreme Court and five seats on the Georgia Court of Appeals were up for statewide elections. Supreme Court justices Carol Hunstein, Harold Melton and Hugh Thompson and Court of Appeals judges Michael Boggs, Stephen Dillard, John Ellington, Yvette Miller and Herbert Phipps all won their respective races uncontested.^[11]

Allows state or local approval of public charter schools upon the request of local communities.^[12]

Gives the State Properties Commission the authority to enter into multiyear lease agreements.^[13]