A state judge has denied objections to a lawsuit challenging the LCG charter revisions – meaning a trial set for May 8 can go forward.
Judge John Trahan heard motions in the Lafayette Parish Courthouse Monday on the lawsuit filed by Keith Kishbaugh against the Lafayette Consolidated Government regarding errors in precinct designations for the upcoming election.
Trahan heard objections, called “exceptions” to the lawsuit that were filed by LCG and several residents who have since intervened in the lawsuit.
According to Gary McGoffin – who is representing those six residents – those exemptions claimed that the lawsuit should be considered an election challenge, which must be filed within 30 days of an election being certified.
McGoffin said he believes that Trahan will deliver a ruling within days of next week’s hearing, but he also expects there to be appeals after that. He said one of his main concerns is that there will not be a proposition on the ballot for the voters to amend the charter to take care of this problem prior to the election that’s coming up.
“Qualifying is not until August,” said McGoffin. “So the question that we all have is: Judge, if the plaintiffs are successful, what happens to our election in August? And, the vote that we had in December of last year was that we shall elect a parish council and a city council in the Governor’s election in 2019. How do we do that?”
