Rahm Emanuel has been declared ineligible for the Chicago mayoral race by an Illinois appeals court.  Emanuel has been a front-runner in fundraising and popular polls, and did not expect this reversal of an earlier court’s decision deeming him eligible.

The rationale for this reason, that he does not meet the residency requirements, due to his White House position, had previously been ruled invalid by the Chicago Board of Elections and a lower court, which maintained that Emanuel, who has maintained a Chicago residence, did not intend to relinquish his residency in the city.

A 2-1 vote by the Illinois Appellate Court overruled this contention.  The debate is sure to ensue in the Illinois Supreme Court, as the elections deadline approaches.