In the Hammond Mayoral Race, Louisiana’s First Circuit Court of Appeal backed the decision from last week of 21st Judicial District Judge Charlotte Foster to disqualify Hammond Mayoral candidate Darryl Smith from the fall ballot.
The proceedings were brought by questions filed by incumbent Pete Panepinto, who objected to Smith’s qualifying paperwork, alleging that Smith violated Louisiana law by claiming a homestead exemption in a precinct different from the precinct in which he was registered to vote.
In the majority opinion from the five judge panel reviewing the case, the judges wrote that based the evidence presented, Smith has a homestead exemption in effect at an address which he did not use as his residence at the time of qualifying.
Smith argued that he has not owned nor occupied the residence in question since 2015.
Any additional legal challenges by Smith would be sent to the Louisiana Supreme Court.
If this decision is left unchallenged, the mayor’s race would be down to three candidates: Panepinto, who is running for his third term, and challengers John Pecoraro and Tracy Washington Wells, both of whom are seeking elected office for the first time.
