Emanuel says he is Illinois resident

CHICAGO, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel's absentee ballot cast in Chicago proves he is considered an Illinois resident, an aide said.

Emanuel, who seeks to replace retiring Mayor Richard Daley, is expected to be challenged over whether he can be on the ballot because of residency laws requiring candidates to be residents for a year before the Feb. 22 election, the Chicago Tribune reported.

"A significant number of registered voters from the city of Chicago are serving both in the White House and several Cabinet agencies," said Lance Gough, executive director of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.

Gough mailed absentee ballots to Emanuel, and said: "All Illinois voters now have the right to cast absentee ballots, whether or not they may be in their home counties on Election Day."

"It shows that the board considered him to be a Chicago voter," Emanuel spokesman Ben LaBolt said.

Election attorney Burt Odelson said he intends to file a challenge to Emanuel's residency next week.

Odelson is advising a rival candidate, state Sen. James T. Meeks, but said he is not representing Meeks in the ballot challenge.

Odelson said Chicago election officials twice classified Emanuel as "inactive" after he left for Washington.