Eric Lach January 25, 2011, 11:29 AM

Rahm Emanuel is fighting an appellate court’s decision that booted him from the Chicago mayoral ballot. In a last-ditch appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court, Emanuel and his lawyers call yesterday’s decision “one of the most far-reaching election law rulings ever to be issued by an Illinois court.”

The appellate court ruled 2-1 that Emanuel does not meet the residency requirements to run for mayor, overturning an earlier decision by the Chicago Election Board. Yesterday, Board Chairman Langdon Neal told reporters that early ballots would begin to be printed, without Emanuel’s name. Early voting starts Jan. 31, and election day is Feb. 22.

Emanuel’s appeal ends by arguing that voters should not be “deprived” of the opportunity to vote for public servants who have served outside the state.

Illinois has proudly provided the federal government with some of the most talented public servants in our nation’s history. These public servants include two presidents, who under the Appellate Court’s decision could not return to Illinois following their presidencies and continue their public service as elected officials. Illinois law specifically provides that these individuals need not choose between their ties to our State and serving the national government in places outside Illinois.

[TPM SLIDESHOW: So Rahm, Farewell]

(h/t Ben Smith)

Read the whole appeal:

Chicago, Rahm Emanuel