PORT ALLEN — Lance C. Joseph, who has been fighting to remain on the ballot this fall as a candidate for mayor of Port Allen, will not be allowed to run after a ruling Thursday by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
The State’s High Court denied Joseph’s writ, effectively ending his chances to appear on the ballot. This decision follows an earlier ruling by the First Circuit Court of Appeal this month, which upheld the district judge’s decision to disqualify Joseph from the race.
Two other candidates qualified to run for mayor of Port Allen in July — Terecita Pattan and Clyde Robertson, Sr.
Joseph’s Property dispute
Joseph filed to run on July 17, listing a Port Allen post office box as his address. However, UWK was the first to uncover property records suggesting that he may primarily reside in Plaquemine. According to Iberville Parish Assessor records, Joseph has claimed a homestead exemption on a Plaquemine property as his primary residence since 2006.
MORE: A candidate for Port Allen mayor may live in Plaquemine – against Louisiana law
The Louisiana Tax Commission states that the tax break can only be applied to one property per person, which must be their primary residence. Joseph indicated he has “0%” of primary ownership in Port Allen, according to West Baton Rouge Parish tax documents.
Joseph indicated on Iberville Parish Assessor records that his home on Island Drive is “100%” his primary residence and a homestead. The same P.O. Box listed on the Port Allen ballot appears in the property record for his Plaquemine home.
Joseph claimed that the Iberville Parish Assessor records were in error. In a phone call with UWK, he stated that despite records showing he lives in Plaquemine with his wife, he primarily resides with his father in Port Allen.
Candidates are required to live in the municipality they seek to represent for at least a year before entering the race in order to run for mayor in Louisiana, per state statute.
Joseph’s Legal fight
Joseph’s attorney, Hope Harper, argued that Joseph indeed lives in Port Allen, citing official documents with a Port Allen address, including his driver’s license, voting record, and bar registration.
During a hearing before the First Circuit earlier this month, Harper argued that Joseph spends considerable time at his Port Allen home, where he keeps clothes, eats meals, and spends nights. The defense argued that the district court erred in six specific areas. However, the Appeal Court upheld the district court’s ruling, stating that Joseph does not reside in Port Allen.
Judge Tonya Lurry of the 18th Judicial District Court in West Baton Rouge Parish was the first to rule that Joseph should be removed from the ballot for accepting tax breaks designated for someone’s primary residence following a voter’s lawsuit in July fighting to remove him from the ballot.
MORE: Voter sues mayoral candidate claiming he ‘falsely’ certified living in Port Allen
“My decision was based on the language in the notice of candidacy qualifying form, which is why I put emphasis on the homestead exemption in my decision,” said Judge Lurry during the hearing. “A person receives significant financial benefits through the homestead exemption. He has been receiving these benefits for 12 years, more than a decade. That was an overwhelming factor for me to consider.”
Joseph is an attorney licensed to practice law in Louisiana and a “member in good standing” of the Louisiana State Bar Association. The bar admitted him in 2002. The City of Port Allen hired him to be chief administrative officer in May 2020 and is currently in that role, according to Port Allen’s website and Joseph’s LinkedIn profile.
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