Three days after an appellate court ruled that Rahm Emanuel was ineligible to run for mayor of Chicago because of residency requirements, the state's Supreme Court overturned the decision, calling it "without any foundation."

The lower court based Emanuel's ineligibility on his having lived for nearly two years in Washington, D.C., while serving as White House chief of staff in the Obama administration.

But Emanuel had convinced the city election board and a Cook County judge of his legitimate eligibility before the appellate court ruled in favor of an appeal based on his having not lived in Chicago for a full year before the election.

In his presentation before the election board, Emanuel noted the personal items they had left in their Chicago home, which he rented out after moving to Washington.

The board concluded that "the rental did not show abandonment of the residence," a conclusion that "was well supported by the evidence."

Emanuel, who continued campaigning while his attorneys appealed the lower court's ruling, welcomed the decision.

"As I said from the beginning, I think the voters deserve the right to make the choice of who should be mayor," he said.

President Obama called to congratulate him, The Associated Press reported.

Some political analysts said the incident would add impetus to his bid for mayor in the final month of the campaign.

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AP contributed to this report.