Rahm Emanuel thrown off the ballot for Chicago mayor

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Rahm Emanuel thrown off the ballot for Chicago mayor

The front-runner doesn't meet residency requirements, a state appeals court

says, reversing the elections board. The former congressman and Obama chief of

staff plans to appeal.

By Mack, Chicago Tribune

January 25, 2011

Rahm Emanuel, who left Chicago to join the Obama administration as White House

chief of staff, should not appear on the Feb. 22 mayoral ballot in the city

because he does not meet the residency standard, according to a ruling issued by

a state appellate court Monday.

Emanuel told a news conference he would appeal the decision to the Illinois

Supreme Court and would ask for an injunction so his name would appear on the

mayoral ballot.

" I have no doubt at the end we'll prevail in this effort, " Emanuel said. " We'll

now go to the next level to get clarity. "

Emanuel, a former congressman, has been the front-running candidate in the race

to succeed retiring Mayor Daley. The latest poll by the Chicago Tribune

showed Emanuel at 44%, more than double his closest rival, former U.S. Sen.

Carol Moseley Braun.

In a 2-1 ruling Monday, the appellate panel said Emanuel does not meet the

residency requirement of having lived in Chicago for a year prior to the

election. The judges reversed a decision by the Chicago Board of Election

Commissioners, which had unanimously agreed that Emanuel was eligible to run for

mayor.

" We conclude that the candidate neither meets the [illinois] Municipal Code's

requirement that he have 'resided in' Chicago for the year preceding the

election in which he seeks to participate nor falls within any exception to the

requirement, " the majority judges wrote.

Emanuel said he meets requirements despite moving to Washington, D.C.. He served

as President Obama's White House chief of staff until October.

" Fundamentally, when a president asks you to serve the country as his chief of

staff, you do it, " Emanuel said.

The municipal code exempts from residency requirements members of the military

who serve away from home. State election code also includes a government service

exemption that protects the residency status of anyone who temporarily leaves

" on business of the United States. "

Early voting begins Jan. 31. An elections board spokesman said ballots are

scheduled to be printed midweek.

Later, Langdon D. Neal, the elections board chairman, issued a statement: " We're

going to press with one less candidate for mayor. "

Elections board spokesman Jim said ballots would be printed Monday night.

" We've basically hit the 'go' button, " said. " We needed to do this on the

18th. We were waiting for this decision. We are going to press now; we have to. "

" A candidate who is removed from the ballots by the courts has until Feb. 15 to

file as a write-in, " said.

Copyright © 2011, Chicago Tribune