Lawsuit seeks to remove Republican committee candidate from ballot

A candidate is suing the New Orleans city clerk's office to remove his opponent from the upcoming Republican State Central Committee election.

Bruce P. Donnelly filed suit Dec. 16 in Orleans Parish Civil District Court against Dale Atkins, the Clerk of Court of Orleans Parish, and opposing candidate Rick Elsky for the committee.

The plaintiff claims Elsky filed to qualify as a candidate in the election for the state committee in the 82nd Representative District, Subdistrict C, where the candidate claims to reside. The election for that post is to be held March 24.

The suit claims the candidate was not registered as a Republican voter early enough. Donnelly asserts that Elsky should have been disqualified according to state party rules because he was registered as a Libertarian before he switched his registration to Republican on Dec. 7, 2011.

By filing the suit, Donnelly hopes to disqualify Elsky from the upcoming election. Donnelly is also hoping to disqualify Rebecca Rothschild Landry in Representative District 62, Subdistrict P.

The case has been assigned to Division I Judge Piper D. Griffin.

Case number 2011-12988