Engineer, business owner and expert witness

Josh Tolbert is the Republican nominee for Public Service Commission District 5 on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot¹. He is a business owner, engineer and educator who formerly taught engineering at Kennesaw State University and worked as chief technology officer for a small modular nuclear reactor company².

Where they stand 3 issues · tap any issue for the evidence

• Energy and climateAll of the above: oil, gas, nuclear and renewables, and let markets pickmedium

  Questionnaire answer · medium confidence

  • Said in a candidate questionnaire that gas is the most dependable, affordable base-load source, and in a runoff debate that he supports Georgians having distributed power, including solar, as part of a competitive market. (2026) source
  • In his Ballotpedia survey he said "every energy source should be evaluated as a tool and used where its engineering and economics make sense." (2026) source
• Nuclear powerAllow new reactors, keeping the NRC's full safety reviews and independencelow

  Questionnaire answer · low confidence

  • Said in a candidate questionnaire that nuclear is the most reliable energy source but is overregulated and too costly; in a runoff debate said he loves the technology but hates the price of the nuclear power that was built. (2026) source
• Business regulationCut red tape, but keep core safety and environmental ruleslow

  Questionnaire answer · low confidence

  • Said stricter environmental laws often destroy jobs, raise costs and weaken energy independence, and that stewardship should come through innovation and free-market solutions rather than burdensome regulations. (2026) source
  • His campaign website says "I will ensure costs are allocated to those who cause them, not shifted onto ratepayers." (2026) source