Tennessee Public Service Commission
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The Tennessee Public Service Commission was a three-member elected body which regulated private utilities, trucking firms, and railroads within the state of Tennessee.
The body was comprised of three commissioners, one from each of the state's three "Grand Divisions" (East, Middle, and West Tennessee). While one member of the body was required to be from each Grand Division, each was elected on a statewide basis to staggered six-year terms, resulting in the election of one commissioner in each even-numbered year. This body was somewhat less powerful than some similar bodies in most other states in that, with the exception of the Kingsport area, it had no jurisdiction over electric rates since the vast majority of the state received its power from the Tennessee Valley Authority, which as part of the United States Government was not subject to state regulation.
Once the Tennessee Supreme Court was changed to being confirmed by a yes-no vote (the "Modified Missouri Plan" or "Tennessee Plan") rather than being chosen by an acutal partisan election, the PSC comprised the only statewide elected positions in Tennessee other than governor. During the entire life of the body, all of its members were Democrats. The process was notoriously tainted by allegations of corruption. The general public showed very little interest in the office, despite its potential for considerable impact on their daily lives, with total votes cast in races for the office often amounting only to two-thirds or less of the numbers cast for governor, senator, or President in the same election, and most people largely or entirely unaware of the duties and functions of the commission. Nearly all campaign donations came from the industries which were regulated by the PSC, their representatives, and persons involved with them. No one was ever elected to higher office from the Tennessee Public Service Commission, although such attempts were occasionally made.
This apparently-corrupt process, linked to the fact that, as noted above, no Republican was ever elected to the office, led the administration of Governor Don Sundquist to move to abolish the office in 1995, and it was subsequently replaced with the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, with one member each appointed by the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives.
