Suit alleges La Marque school board member not resident of district

GALVESTON � A Texas City man is asking a federal judge for a temporary restraining order and permanent injunction against a woman running for La Marque Independent School District Board of Trustees.

Jacques K. Bell argues that Nakisha Paul is not qualified to contend for a seat on the board of trustees because she reportedly did not claim the district which she aspired to represent as her legal residence within the time constraints set by state law, a motion to U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt states.

Court papers, which also name school district as a defendant, were filed June 20 in the Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas.

Paul ran within a district apportioned as part of a single-member district plan.

"Ms. Paul on multiple documents swore or stated that she lived in a district other than the district where she sought office and was registered to vote in the district where she did not seek office," the original complaint says.

It adds that Paul was receiving a homestead exemption in the district where she did not run.

"By running and ultimately winning in the district where she was not qualified, and the La Marque school district allows this, the voters in the district where Ms. Paul won and all voters are denied equal protection under the law and the respondents are violating the Voting Rights Act," the motion says.

Bell, who is representing himself in the case, insists "this would not have happened without Ms. Paul giving fraudulent information to unlawfully seek office."

He requests that the election be declared unlawful and a new contest be held with qualified candidates.

Case No. 3:11-cv-279