Shreveport mayor disqualified as candidate for re-election in fall elections

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - A Caddo Parish court judge ruled Tuesday, Aug. 2 that incumbent Mayor Adrian Perkins is disqualified as a candidate for the upcoming mayoral election.

The mayor issued a statement at 4 p.m. Tuesday on the Caddo Courthouse steps facing Texas Street, saying that he will appeal the court ruling and that the lawsuit is “a desperate attempt by them to undermine our democratic process, to steal your vote.”

Perkins was disqualified under La. R.S. 18:492(A)(1)

“When an objection to the candidacy is sustained on the ground that the defendant failed to qualify for the primary election in the manner prescribed by law, that the defendant failed to qualify for the primary election within the time prescribed by the law, or that the defendant does not meet the qualifications for the office he seeks, the final judgment shall disqualify the defendant as a candidate in the primary election for the office which he failed to qualify properly.”

In July, a lawsuit was filed claiming he was ineligible to run for re-election as mayor because of the address he used to qualify with the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office.

The petition claimed that Perkins is registered to vote and filed for a homestead exemption at one address for his condo in downtown Shreveport but filed his qualification application using another address on Stratmore Drive (south of LSU Shreveport).

Both addresses are located in Shreveport but are in different wards of the city.

► RELATED: Judge hears arguments over legitimacy of Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins’ candidacy

The lawsuit also notes that Louisiana law specifically states that if you apply for and receive a homestead exemption, then that is the address you must use to qualify to run for public office unless you are running for Congress or the Senate.

Perkins admitted in court to changing his voter registration to match his downtown condo address and homestead exemption.

He added that the error on his qualifying papers was made because he was in a hurry and was distracted by lights from TV cameras in the clerk of court’s office.

Below is the court’s 8-page ruling issued Tuesday, Aug. 2:

VIDEO UPDATES:

Copyright 2022 KSLA. All rights reserved.