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The Arizona Corporation Commission regulates public utilities, railroads and gas pipelines, and oversees the formation of corporations in the state and financial securities. Arizona is one of 13 states where commissioners are elected, not appointed, to the post.

We endorse incumbent Kris Mayes, a Republican, and Mark Manoil, a Demo-crat, for the two open seats on the commission. They face three other candidates: Democrat Richard Boyer, Republican Gary Pierce and Libertarian Rick Fowlkes.

Mayes and Manoil are the best fit for the commission.

This campaign has centered around renewable energy and the need for Arizona to rely more on solar power. The commission is scheduled for a final vote Friday on a plan that would force regulated electric utility companies to generate 15 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2025.

Mayes has been a driving force behind the push to increase that figure, and wisely so. Arizona must take better advantage of its biggest natural resource — the sun — and encourage people to use solar energy. "This is the most important accomplishment of the Corporation Commission," she said. "It's going to take our state away from its addiction to fossil fuels."

The existing requirement is 1.25 percent produced from renewable sources. If approved, the monthly surcharge would grow from 35 cents to $1.05 per month to support renewable energy. The money pays for tax credits and reimbursements for people who put solar panels on their homes to harness natural energy.

Manoil would be an asset to the commission because he understands how a regulator can help encourage large public utilities to pursue good public policy through new rules, as with solar energy. He appeared before the commission as an attorney and experiencing the ACC process from the outside can benefit him as an elected official.

Manoil describes the role of the Corporation Commission as a "check on the corporate monopoly in the state and the protection of consumers against monopolies." This attitude illustrates that Manoil knows where the focus of the commission needs to be — the people of Arizona.

In Mayes and Manoil, Arizonans will find two candidates dedicated to the practical development of renewable, sustainable energy. Mayes has proved her willingness to advocate for the state's future well-being. And Manoil is the best candidate to work together and make better use of Arizona's natural resources a reality while protecting the consumer.