Democratic candidate sues to block Alabama Public Service Commission expansion
A Democratic candidate for Public Service Commission Tuesday sued the state over a law restructuring the commission.
The lawsuit, filed by Sheila McNeil, the Democratic nominee for Place 2 on the commission, alleges that the law — expanding the membership of the public utility regulator and giving Gov. Kay Ivey four appointments to be made before July 15 – violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment because it altered election rules after absentee voting had already started.
“When the Legislature enacted this bill . . ., without any process to protect candidates already in the field, filing suit became the only path to safeguard the rights of voters and candidates alike,” McNeil said in a statement. “With all of the political maneuvering to restructure the Commission, there is nothing in this law that will remotely reduce utility bills.”
The lawsuit also argues that the law, known as HB 475, diluted the voting power of minority voters in violation of Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and stripped McNeil of the “protected interest of her candidacy” without giving her notice or a hearing.
https://alabamareflector.com/2026/05/27/democratic-candidate-files-lawsuit-against-psc-bill-approved-by-legislature/