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Evans takes lead in Montana Public Service Commission race • Daily Montanan [1]

['Keila Szpaller', 'Daily Montanan Staff', 'Blair Miller', 'More From Author', '- November', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar']

Date: 2024-11-05

Independent candidate Elena Evans took the lead over incumbent Republican Jennifer Fielder in the District No. 4 race for the Montana Public Service Commission shortly after 11 p.m. on Tuesday.

Republicans were leading in the other two races of the Montana Public Service Commission.

The PSC is made up of five commissioners elected by district and has been all Republican.

In District No. 2, Republican Brad Molnar, a Laurel state senator and former member of the Public Service Commission, was leading opponent and Democrat Susan Bilo of Gallatin County with 58% of the vote to Bilo’s 42%.

Molnar had 9,210 votes to Bilo’s 6,741.

In District No. 3, Republican Jeff Welborn, a small business owner and legislator from Dillon, was trouncing electrician and Democrat Leonard Williams of Butte. Welborn had 63% of the vote to Williams’ 37%.

Weborn had 28,724 votes to Williams’ 16,898.

In District No. 4, Evans had 55% to Fielder’s 44% shortly after 11 p.m. and after Missoula County started reporting.

Evans has outraised Fielder with donations from across the country. At press time, Fielder, also a former state legislator, had 24,500 votes, and Evans had 30,490.

The Public Service Commission regulates monopoly utilities such as NorthWestern Energy and Montana-Dakota Utilities.

The PSC has come under fire in recent years, including for approving significant rate hikes. A 2023 settlement raised rates 28% for residential customers of NorthWestern.

Detractors also argue it has been slow to encourage more affordable and sustainable energy sources.

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[1] Url: https://dailymontanan.com/2024/11/05/republicans-leading-in-montana-public-service-commission-race/

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