Rahm Emanuel ballot challenges to be heard today

Posted by Kristen Mack at 7 a.m.

A hearing is scheduled to take place this morning on the slew of challenges attempting to knock former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel off the Chicago mayoral ballot.

The Chicago Board of Elections has set an 11 a.m. hearing to be presided over by Joseph A. Morris, an attorney who once unsuccessfully ran for Cook County Board president as a Republican.

"We look for people with a good working knowledge of the election code, who have no possible conflicts and who, most importantly, can conduct a fair and impartial hearing," said Jim Allen, an elections board spokesman. "Mr. Morris fits all those qualifications."

The objections to Emanuel's candidacy largely center around whether he meets the residency requirements. Emanuel says he meets the standard because he owns a home here, has voted here and always intended to move back from Washington. Election law attorney Burt Odelson, who filed the major ballot challenge says the fact that Emanuel rented out his home, instead of leaving it empty, means he’s not a resident.
Morris, the hearing officer, will make a recommendation to the city elections board, which will rule on the various attempts to knock Emanuel off the Feb. 22 ballot.

The elections board today also will begin the process of hearing the more than 300 additional objections lodged against 19 other mayoral candidates and dozens of aldermanic candidates

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/12/rahm-emanuel-ballot-challenges-to-be-heard-today.html