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Duggan On The Ballot, For Now

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) -The Michigan Supreme Court has received a request to hear a case involving whether former Detroit Medical Center chief Mike Duggan can appear on the ballot in Detroit's mayoral election.

The move comes days after Wayne County Circuit Judge Lita M. Popke made that ruling after opposing candidate Tom Barrow claimed that Duggan was not a resident of Detroit for a year — as required by city charter —when he turned in his signatures to become an official candidate for mayor.

Duggan moved from Livonia to Detroit in March 2012, but didn't register to vote until April 16, 2012. He turned in his petitions to run for mayor on April 2, 2013 — two weeks short of the one-year residency requirement, according to Popke.

A three-judge panel said  it will take the case Monday without hearing any arguments.

It's not clear if a decision will be made that day, but — with a printing deadline date of June 21 fast approaching —  the clock is ticking.

Meantime, Barrow is asking that the Michigan Supreme Court immediately settle the matter, bypassing the appeals court.

He says Duggan should give up this "futile legal fight" and "move on with his life." [View Barrow's Supreme Court filing HERE].

"We already had severe problems in 2009 when the recount concluded with the entire class of absentee ballots being unable to be certified, for the first time in the history of Detroit and the nation, just under 60,000 votes were not re-countable because cases had been re-entered and election night seals breached, destroying confidence in our election system," Barrow said in a statement. "So it is important to me that the absentee voters be protected and that there be no delays caused by appeal after appeal after appeal."

Duggan, former CEO of the Detroit Medical Center, has been considered one of the leading candidates to succeed Mayor Dave Bing, who is not seeking re-election. According to the latest polls, he's  front-runner in the race — along with Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon.

Duggan said, earlier this week, he will continue to campaign.

CATCH UP: Mike Duggan Plans Appeal After Being Kicked Off Detroit Primary Ballot

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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