Your Guide to the 2026 Arizona Corporation Commission Race

Who decides how much you pay for electricity? In Arizona, part of that answer is the five people you elect. They serve on the Arizona Corporation Commission, and they review the rates utilities want to charge you for power and water.

Two of those five seats are on the ballot this November, and four candidates want them. We put this guide together so the race doesn’t catch you by surprise. You don’t need to be an energy expert to weigh in. You just need to know it’s there.

What does the Corporation Commission do?

The Arizona Corporation Commission, or ACC, reviews what utility companies charge you.

When a utility wants to raise rates, it can’t just do it. It has to bring the request to the Commission, which holds public hearings and digs through the numbers before voting on whether to allow the increase.

This applies to the state’s investor-owned utilities, the privately owned companies like Arizona Public Service and Tucson Electric Power on the electric side, plus Southwest Gas.

Rates get the attention, but the job goes further. Commissioners also:

Plan for whether the grid can keep our homes cool as Arizona grows and summers get hotter
Review how utilities bill customers for new power plants and power lines
Set the rules that shape the policies, including payment policies for rooftop solar and home batteries
Watch over the small private water companies serving many rural communities

How this race works

Every Arizona voter helps elect all five commissioners, each serving a four-year term. Two seats are on the ballot this year.

Here’s the part worth remembering: you may choose up to two candidates. The two who get the most votes statewide win, regardless of party. You have four names to pick from because Arizona held a primary in July that narrowed the field to two Democrats and two Republicans.

Getting to know the candidates

Ralph Heap (Republican)

Who he is: An orthopedic surgeon and fourth-generation Arizonan. He’s served in the Arizona House of Representatives since January 2025, representing a district in the Mesa area. He studied at Arizona State University and earned his medical degree at the University of Arizona.

What he says he’d focus on:

Opposing rate increases he considers unnecessary, especially for families and seniors
Opposing renewable energy mandates for utilities, which he calls “ESG mandates” and “California-style energy experiments”
Keeping a “reliable, diverse energy grid — not one dictated by ideology”
Supporting the federal energy agenda, with an emphasis on fossil fuels and nuclear power
Protecting water access and infrastructure in rural Arizona

Learn more at his campaign website.

Jonathon Hill (Democrat)

Who he is: A scientist and engineer born in Kingman. He’s spent 18 years at Arizona State University working on NASA missions across the solar system, including trips to Mars and to asteroids. He holds degrees in aerospace engineering and a doctorate in geological sciences. He also ran for this office in 2024.

What he says he’d focus on:

Lowering what households pay each month
Drawing on his engineering background to “ask tough, technical questions when utility companies request rate increases”
Strengthening the grid, including protecting it from hackers
More transparency at the Commission and stronger representation for rural Arizona
Investing in renewable energy and careful groundwater management

Learn more at his campaign website.

Clara Pratte (Democrat)

Who she is: A member of the Navajo Nation who lives in Flagstaff. She grew up in Lupton, Arizona, in a home without electricity or running water until middle school. She led the Navajo Nation’s Washington, D.C. office and co-founded Navajo Power, which builds solar projects with tribal communities. If elected, she’d be the first tribal member to serve on the Commission, as the Navajo Times reported when she entered the race.

What she says she’d focus on:

Lowering what households pay each month
Serving as “a watchdog for the people” and strengthening oversight of utilities
More transparency and accountability so that “consumers come first”
Expanding renewable, affordable energy and the jobs that come with it
Protecting Arizona’s air and water

Learn more at her campaign website.

Kevin Thompson (Republican)

Who he is: A current commissioner, first elected in 2022, who has served as the Commission’s chair. He’s a U.S. Air Force veteran who served during Operation Desert Storm and holds a degree in mechanical engineering. Before joining the Commission, he served two terms on the Mesa City Council.

What he says he’d focus on:

Removing energy efficiency and renewable energy requirements he says have cost customers money
Opposing rules that “subsidize one generation type over another”
Supporting an all-of-the-above mix of energy sources, including small nuclear reactors
Pushing water companies to repair leaking pipes, and keeping the grid reliable
Evaluating how the rapid growth of data centers affects your bills and the state’s energy policies

Learn more at his campaign website.

What the next commissioners will take up

Whoever wins walks into decisions already in motion.

Earlier this year, the Commission ended Arizona’s renewable energy requirements for utilities. In July, it ended requirements that utilities help customers save energy. Both decisions are being challenged in court.

Commissioners are also sorting out who should pay for the enormous amounts of electricity new data centers use. They’re weighing what kinds of power plants Arizona builds next, and how to fix aging pipes at the small water companies serving rural towns.

How to vote

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. As you prepare to vote, make a plan, follow the instructions for each race, and use official election resources to confirm where and how to cast your ballot. These tools can help:

This race sits near the end of the ballot, and it’s an easy one to skip. Consider this your reminder. Give it a few extra minutes, and remember you can pick up to two candidates. Know a neighbor who’s never heard of this race? Pass it along.

Complete your full ballot, and remember that the Arizona Corporation Commission is on it too.

This content is intended for nonpartisan voter education and does not support or oppose any candidate, political party, or election outcome.