Countdown To Election Day: The Most Dramatic Day Ever

In just thirty days, Chicagoans will head to the polls and vote in a whole new batch of city leaders. While the race for mayor was quite dramatic from the start, the city was seemingly unprepared for the major news that broke on Monday.

Stay tuned to HuffPost Chicago from now until February 22 for "The Countdown," a daily roundup of election news, gossip and other fun tidbits. You can also sign up to receive "The Countdown" via email daily by checking the "Chicago Brief" box here.

THE BOMBSHELL

Obviously, the news of the day came late this morning, when an Illinois appellate panel decided that Rahm Emanuel should not be allowed to run for Chicago mayor.

"We conclude that the candidate neither meets the municipal code's requirement that he have 'resided' in Chicago for the year preceding the election in which he seeks to participate nor falls within any exception to the requirement," said the majority opinion by justices Thomas E. Hoffman and Shelvin Louise Marie Hall.

Emanuel's lawyers said they would immediately appeal the decision to the Illinois Supreme Court, but the chairman of the Chicago board of election commissioners has already said the ballots will be printed without Rahm's name on them.

Whatever happens with the Illinois Supreme Court will surely need to happen fast, as early voting begins on Jan. 31.

For breaking updates on Rahm's status, go here. To learn more about the legal mess this ruling has created, go here.

MAPPING THE MONEY

Dan Sinker, the journalist behind the Chicago Mayoral Scorecard, has launched a mayoral contributions map. Click on a candidate, and see where in the country their contributions are coming from. Rahm Emanuel was criticized for getting so much financial help from outside of Chicago--but Carol Moseley Braun and Gery Chico have a bit of out-of-state cash flowing in as well. Miguel del Valle apparently keeps it local--but his numbers pale in comparison to Emanuel's.

We aren't sure where that money will go if Emanuel doesn't get back on the ballot. Also, we are wondering where the Jeff Tweedy fundraiser stands.

CHICO'S ON FIRE

It was a good day for Gery Chico. First, his top opponent was booted from the ballot. Then, he was endorsed by Chicago Firefighters Local 2. The Fraternal Order of Police has already thrown its support behind Chico, who vowed to hire a superintendent from its ranks. Current Supt. Jody Weis wonders if that is a good thing.

MJ FOR MAYOR

This mayoral race has been a hot mess. First there were 20 candidates, now there are six and the frontrunner might be out.

Some Chicagoans have come up with an answer to all this madness: vote for Michael Jordan. After Sunday's epic loss to the Green Bay Packers, sports fans found themselves longing for the glory days. Michael Jordan is a Chicago legend, and this Facebook group wants you to make him the write-in winner of the Chicago mayor's race.

RAHMEN EMANUEL

Obviously @MayorEmanuel is our favorite fake Twitter account right now (Warning: NSFW). But Rahmen Emanuel definitely wins in the Tumblr world. Oh, a HuffPost Chicago editor will buy you cookies if you tell her who runs the @MayorEmanuel Twitter account. For real.

Bonus shrimp.

If you have any juicy gossip about the Chicago elections, or a story you think we should see, send us an email at [e-mail].

Comments

[grovestand12]

10:01 AM on 01/25/2011

i do not support rham in his bid to become mayor of chicago BUT this situation is pure conservative hogwash! rham had been given the green light by the board of elections in chicago stating that he is eligible to run for mayor of chicago. in addition, he was serving his country as a public servant to the entire nation not working outside of the city for a private corporation. this is more of the conservative judges with a political ax to grind, overstepping their judicial boundaries once AGAIN here in illinois.

[meko]

01:45 PM on 01/25/2011

Conservative?

Rahm is the most conservative candidate in the race. No one on the ballot is a Republican.

If anything it's "locals vs. nationals" with Rahm, the guy who gave Daley's brother the Chief of Staff guy, picked to win by the Machine.

[HTM]

02:40 AM on 01/25/2011

The truth and people of the Chicago have sent a strong message to Rahm Emanuel the special interest candidate by saying you do not have a connection to the City of Chicago you are an outsider.

[BlackTantalus]

10:17 AM on 01/27/2011

That is an ignorant and uninformed comment on multiple levels.

[ChicagoBlackRainbowWomen]

11:28 PM on 01/24/2011

This would truly be a blessing. Why should Chicago suffer just so DC can be Rahm free.

Prayer works!

[FlangeSqueal]

10:17 AM on 01/25/2011

Tell you what - I've got $50 that says he'll not only be back on the ballot, but he'll be the next Mayor of Chicago.


Like we need Carol Moseley-Hoseley to steal some more cash ! Her IRS troubles are about to surface, honeychild - you wait and see.

[ChicagoBlackRainbowWomen]

11:05 AM on 01/25/2011

Personally I dont like either one of them. Im rooting for Dr. Watkins..

[Carolyn Kostopoulos]

10:16 PM on 01/24/2011

good for chicago! i'm so damn sick of these guys hopscotching from one job to another. hilary clinton buys a house in NY so she can qualify for an open slot in the senate which she promptly drops when offered a better plum. who has any commitment, any sense of place? wendell berry wrote about "boomers," those who go anywhere for any opportunity and "stickers," those who have a deep feeling for a place. if another mayoral slot had opened up in another high prestige city, would he have claimed to be a resident there? no wonder they dump on us. they have no integrity, no loyalty except to their own accensions

[MrPragmatic]

10:59 PM on 01/24/2011

Uh, you do realize that your comparison between HRC and Rahm is apples to oranges, right? While you are correct in your assertion that Hillary was not a resident of NY, Rham actually is a resident of both Illinois and the city of Chicago. He was born in Illinois and lived there all his life. He was a congressman in a Chicago district. He left Chicago to work at the White House as Obama's chief of staff for two years. But he kept his Illinois driver's license, his house (he rented it out) and personal belongings back in his home and in storage. And in fact, contrary to what you say, Emanuel has a deep sense of place in Chicago. He is a Chicagoan. In the high tech global world in which we live, I think that we can be more worldly and have a broader sense of how people define their residency.

[mratcheson]

12:50 AM on 01/25/2011

Facts are very difficult for people who wish they didn't exist.

[grovestand12]

10:02 AM on 01/25/2011

mrpragmatic, you are spot on!

[lendtolease]

10:05 PM on 01/24/2011

Rahm is scvm