Georgia held a statewide special election in November 4th 2025 for two seats on the Public Service Commission, which had been held exclusively by Republicans. New Engagement used these elections as a unique mobilization and persuasion opportunity, as data show that converting first-time voters makes them much more likely to vote in future elections. New Engagement was the only independent entity talking to sporadic voters about the cost of living, discussing how Democrats would lower their electric bills and how Senator Jon Ossoff was working to make living in Georgia more affordable. Both Democrats won with over sixty percent of the vote, becoming the first Democrats to win a non-Federal statewide election in almost two decades.
THE RESULTS:
We focused our program in DeKalb County, which saw a 9.53% point jump in Democratic performance from the 2024 Presidential Election. Additionally, in 30 of the 31 precincts where we had a presence, we outperformed the County average of 91% support.
The neighboring Fulton County (the city of Atlanta), where New Engagement had no presence but other IE’s spent over twice as much money, saw a 6.87% increase—meaning our program outperformed others by over 2.5% and cost an estimated $144/vote.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
At New Engagement, we believe in the power of an engaged and informed democracy. In order to build the working-class coalition of the future, Democrats must reach voters early, listen to them,
and use trusted messengers. The PSC Election in Georgia was a perfect opportunity to test our theories and begin this work.
We focused our program in DeKalb County, where we’d find the most efficient returns because of the population density of left-leaning voters combined with the historically unpredictable turnout. We ultimately knocked on over 60 thousand doors in the weeks leading up to the election.
Voters consistently told us that the cost of living was becoming untenable and it was great to see people in the community who were focused on this issue. Several voters told us New Engagement was the first organization who had ever spoken to them about the cost of living. Some examples:
Leslie S. told us “that things have gotten so expensive lately that even her light bill, which used to be manageable now is so high that she can’t save money.” And added “it’s good to see people finally out encouraging the community to stay engaged and make a difference.”
Shelton H. told us that he is deeply concerned about his rising light bill. “Costs have increased significantly, even though my usage has remained about the same. I want to see leaders who will fight for relief and accountability. Shelton told us that after talking to us, he decided to vote early.