Smith Still Running

Too little, too late! A complaint was filed on August 5, 2022, with the office of the Fourth Judicial District Attorney alleging Deborah Smith failed to meet the domicile and residence requirements for a political office as she resides in a different district from which she registered her candidacy. The complainant sought to have a judgment declaring Deborah Smith not qualified to hold office for Monroe City School Board, District 4. The complaint was filed by Norcella McCoy, a registered voter in the city of Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Monroe City School Board, District 4.

The office of the Fourth Judicial District Attorney found the complaint without merit, and no further action is required. According to the Louisiana state laws, a registered voter may bring a motion objecting to the candidacy of a person who qualified as a candidate in a primary election for an office for which the plaintiff is qualified to vote. The registered voter may present evidence to the respective parish district attorney, who shall determine whether or not the evidence presented establishes grounds for objecting to such candidacy. The said objection must be filed within seven days after the close of qualification for candidates in the primary election. The time period for objecting to a candidate's qualification to hold the office for which they are running is a preemptive time period, and thus, the cause of action ceases to exist after the passage of said time period.

On July 22, 2022, Deborah Smith filed a Notice of Candidacy (Qualifying Form) with the Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court for the Monroe City School Board, District 4, for the primary election to be held on November 8, 2022. The qualification period for the declared election was July 20, 2022, through to and including July 22, 2022. Therefore, any action objecting to the qualification of Deborah Smith as a candidate must have been brought by July 31, 2O22. The Office of the District Attorney did not receive said complaint until August 5, 2022. Therefore, any action regarding the said complaint is barred.

Photo Deborah Smith District 4 Monroe City School Board Candidate #74