CHICAGO: A state appellate court Monday threw former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel off the ballot for Chicago mayor because he didn't live in the city in the year before the election. The decision cast doubt over Emanuel's candidacy just a month before the election. He had been considered the front-runner and had raised more money than any other candidate. The court voted 2-1 to overturn a lower-court ruling that would have kept his name on the Feb. 22 ballot. Emanuel plans to appeal the matter to the Illinois Supreme Court. “I have no doubt that we will in the end prevail at this effort. This is just one turn in the road,” Emanuel said, adding that the “people of the city of Chicago deserve the right to make the decision on who they want to be their next mayor.” Those challenging Emanuel's candidacy have argued that the Democrat does not meet the one-year residency requirement because he rented out his Chicago home and moved his family to Washington to work for President Barack Obama for nearly two years. Emanuel has said he always intended to return to Chicago and was only living in Washington at the request of the president. Emanuel is one of several candidates vying to replace Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who did not seek a seventh term. Emanuel moved back to Chicago in October after he quit working for Obama to campaign full
