EAST PROVIDENCE — Longtime Democrat Anthony S. Perry Sr. grew up on Lyons Avenue, starting at age 6. The 63-year-old calls the house at 119 Lyons home, and he’s “damn proud of it.”

Yet is it where he lives based on the state’s voting laws?

Perry and longtime girlfriend Gail Hogan bought 962 Veterans Memorial Parkway, a home in the city’s Ward 3, in June 1998. Perry’s son, Mikel, a Zoning Board member, has been listed as the sole owner of 119 Lyons Ave. since February 2004. That property is in Ward 2.

“I split my time [at each place] 50-50,” Perry said when first asked where he sleeps. When asked again, he answered, “Where I live is Lyons Avenue. Where I stay is no one else’s business.”

Although a hearing has not been set, Perry’s residence will soon be “business” for the East Providence Canvassing Authority. Former Mayor Bruce Rogers is challenging Perry’s registration to vote in Ward 2 as well as his eligibility to be an elected delegate for the Ward 2 Democratic Committee, which endorses the local candidates who best exemplify Democrat Party values.

ROGERS FINISHED last, or 16th, one spot away from being on that committee, during last September’s primary. Rogers wants the Canvassing Authority to disqualify Perry and replace Perry with himself, the next highest vote-getter from that election.

In a July 27 letter, Rogers told authority Chairwoman Dorothy O’Gara that it is “common knowledge” around the city that Perry doesn’t actually live in Ward 2. In a news release yesterday, Rogers also said he hadn’t filed a complaint because he didn’t believe the majority of last year’s authority members would hear his argument fairly.

The authority then consisted of its chairman, Michael Solomon, and members Thomas Riley and Maryann Callahan. Solomon and Callahan — Rogers characterized them as “partisan loyalists unduly influenced by City Democrat Committee Chairman John Conley” — have since been replaced with O’Gara and Peter Barilla.

“The statements and conduct of Conley, Solomon and Callahan during previous voter fraud investigations made it clear to me that they were more interested in turning a blind eye toward the problem and covering it up than they were in stopping voter fraud,” Rogers wrote. “I knew I would never be able to get anywhere with them in control…. Let’s hope Mrs. O’Gara and Mr. Barilla will do the right thing on their watch.”

YET THE NEW authority is still working out its own kinks and problems, such as agreeing on an appropriate start time for meetings. In-city politics has also increased recently, making Rogers’ complaint fuel for the fire.

“I’m not sure of the procedure, but I do know where someone lies his head is where the person should vote,” O’Gara said yesterday.

The new complaint has also rekindled debate about how East Providence voter fraud was handled by city and state officials more than two years ago. Thirteen voters — including a longtime Democrat involved in city politics — were charged with voter fraud after they cast ballots in East Providence during the general election in 2004. In those cases, some voted using their business addresses, rather than a home addresses.

“There was discussion then [about Perry],” current Ward 2 Committee Chairman Ralph Lewis said yesterday. “Everyone was told to make sure you live where you say you live. Tony [Anthony Perry] said, ‘When it comes down to a lawsuit, I’ll handle it.’ He thinks he’s right all the time. You cannot tell him anything.”

WHEN ASKED whether Lewis had an opinion on the matter, he said, “My personal feeling is there is a fly in the ointment and Lloyd Monroe is going to find it. So what do you do? He says he lives six months in one and six months in the other and that’ll cover it.”

Lloyd Monroe, a former Republican candidate for a General Assembly seat, made the same claim as Rogers this month, but didn’t file a formal complaint.

“Rogers has been ex-communicated from the city Democrat establishment because of his support for dissident Democrats [Brian Coogan] and some Republicans,” Monroe’s mid-July e-mail to The Journal states. “Perry was evidently put up for the Ward 2 committee post because the Phillips Street crew did not have enough other bodies to prevent Rogers from becoming a member of the committee. Rogers was deprived of a seat on the committee through fraud.”

Monroe continued, “… Someone must have perjured themselves on the candidate declaration and nominating papers. What is more, the Ward 2 bosses must have known that Perry lived with Hogan as did Maryann Callahan.”

STATE LAW SAYS a person’s residence for voting purposes is “his or her fixed and established domicile.” Determining one’s “domicile is that person’s factual physical presence in the voting district on a regular basis incorporating an intention to reside for an indefinite period,” the law also states.

Perry says his license says the Lyons Avenue address. His bank statements and checks have Lyons Avenue on them. Perry also says he pays taxes for the Lyons Avenue house and Hogan handles the taxes for the Veterans Memorial house.

AND WHEN THE East Providence Yacht Club owner was charged with littering prohibited in June 2002, which was discharged, Perry gave Lyons Avenue as his address.

“I’ve been threatened four or five times with this in the past and I don’t care,” Perry said. “I’m not worried and I’m ready to go anyway. This city is so screwed up and it isn’t going to get any better…. ”

In addition, he said the ward committee “legally doesn’t do anything anyway” and years ago, those committees were better. Yet right before he ended his conversation with The Journal, Perry said he wasn’t going to resign the Ward 2 Committee just “in spite” of Roger’s complaint.

apina@projo.com