SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A hearing is underway on Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins‘ appeal of a ruling earlier this week disqualifying him from the mayor’s race.
The hearing before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals got underway at 11 a.m.
Perkins is appealing the ruling handed down Tuesday by Caddo District Judge Brady O’Callaghan in a lawsuit filed late last week challenging Perkins’ candidacy based on inaccurate residence address and voter registration on Perkins’ election-qualifying paperwork.
The 65-page lawsuit claimed Perkins lives in a condominium on Marshall Street in downtown Shreveport and uses Louisiana’s homestead exemption for that residence, but was registered to vote using an address on Stratmore Circle. In his Notice of Candidacy filing on July 22, Perkins certified the Stratmore address in south Shreveport as his residence instead of the address of the condo where he claims his homestead exemption in downtown Shreveport.
Perkins changed his voter registration to his downtown address on Saturday, July 30, the day after the lawsuit was filed.
Louisiana law dictates that unless a candidate is in a nursing home, veterans’ home, or is running for the U. S. House or Senate, they must be registered to vote from the same address where they claim the homestead exemption.
Perkins argues the discrepancy was the result of a minor clerical error and on Tuesday said the ruling added up to voter suppression.
His appeal Friday before the Second Circuit Court will be argued before a three-judge panel comprised of Judge Shondra D. Stone from Shreveport, Jeff R. Thompson from Bossier City, and Chief Judge D. Milton Moore III from Monroe.
The court’s ruling must be rendered within 24 hours after the hearing ends, which means a ruling could come before the end of the day Friday.
If the ruling stands, Perkins will continue to serve as the mayor of Shreveport until his term ends this year when the winner of the mayor’s race is sworn into office.
