Hammond mayoral candidate disqualified; 1st Circuit cites Perkins’ case in Shreveport

SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – In an opinion handed down Tuesday morning that upheld a trial court’s disqualification of a Hammond man’s candidacy for mayor, one of the cases cited by the Louisiana 1^st Circuit Court of Appeal was Monday’s 2^nd Circuit decision disqualifying Shreveport Mayor Adrian Perkins’ re-election bid.

In a 4-1 vote, a panel of 1st Circuit Appellate judges affirmed a 21^st Judicial District Court order disqualifying Darryl David Smith from running for Mayor of Hammond on the basis of not using the address where he last paid a homestead exemption.

Incumbent Mayor Hammond incumbent Mayor Peter Panepinto, who would have faced Smith in the Nov. 8 election, filed suit in the 21st JDC challenging Smith’s candidacy. Both Smith and Panepinto are Republicans.

In Louisiana, candidates are required to use the same address as where they take their Homestead Exemption.

Smith’s case, however, was not as clear-cut as Deal vs. Perkins in that the home where Smith last took a homestead exemption is occupied by his ex-wife of several years.

Although Smith’s ex-wife is now responsible for all the bills regarding the house, Smith never took his name off the homestead exemption on the tax assessor’s books. When the house is sold, according to the property settlement, Smith will get 50% of the proceeds.

The only Republican left in the race, Panepinto will now face two Democrats in the Nov. 8 election.

The 2^nd Circuit decision on Perkin’s disqualification came just before noon on Monday, when a panel of three 2^nd Circuit Court of Appeals judges handed down an opinion upholding a Caddo District Court’s decision to disqualify Perkins’ candidacy based on using an incorrect address on his qualification form, which he signed under oath.

Although Perkins bought his condo in the 700 block of Marshall Street in May 2019, he was registered to vote at a southeast Shreveport address rather than from the Marshall Street address.

Perkins didn’t change his voter registration when he bought his condo, only changing it on July 30, the day after the lawsuit questioning his residency.

Attorneys for Perkins said Monday they plan to appeal the 2^nd Circuit’s decision with the Louisiana Supreme Court. They had 48 hours from the time the ruling was handed down to file a writ with the high court.