Democrat Jason DeCuir, a candidate opposing Sen. Cleo Fields for the state Senate seat that surrounds campus, is hosting a concert tonight at Walk-Ons in an effort to get students to register to vote.
DeCuir, University alumnus, invited “Nashville Star” finalist David St. Romain to perform at 7 p.m. Admission is free with a voter registration card or by registering to vote at the event.
Fields, a Democrat, is the subject of a lawsuit filed Monday. Four residents filed suit against Fields, claiming he was ineligible to run because of term limits.
Newly instituted state term limits prohibit legislators from running for office after serving more than 2 1/2. Fields was elected to fill an incomplete term in 1997. The question of the suit is when he officially became a senator – at the time of his election or when he took his oath in front of the Senate.
The suit claims he became a senator Dec. 13, 1997, “one month and one day more than the 2 1/2 terms.”
Fields told The Associated Press this week according to state regulations, he didn’t become a senator until March 23, 1998, when he took the oath, which means he has not served 2 1/2 terms.
Fields also blamed DeCuir for the suit. DeCuir is not named as a part of the suit and denied any involvement.
Also running for the seat are Democrats Rep. Yvonne Dorsey, who holds the state House seat that surrounds campus, and Steven Schilling and Republicans Scott Lemoine and Willis Reed.
Eboni Townsend, Decuir’s campaign manager, said tonight’s concert is aimed at students.
“He wanted to give the students the opportunity to be involved in the political process,” Townsend said.
Students need to bring their driver’s license or an ID to register at the event, she said.
Students are permitted by state law to register to vote using their campus addresses and do not have to remain registered at their parents’ addresses.
—Contact Ginger Gibson at ggibson@lsureveille.com