EVERETT — A Snohomish County judge found the front-runner in the race for an Everett City Council seat ineligible to hold the position in a hearing Tuesday.

The bombshell ruling means Niko Battle, who received the most votes in the August primary, will not appear on the November ballot. His opponent, Alan Rubio, will face off against Luis Burbano, the third place candidate.

Battle can still appeal the ruling and plans to, he said after Superior Court Judge Richard Okrent issued his ruling Tuesday.

“We will not stop fighting until the lady sings, and she has not even taken the stage yet,” Battle told press following the hearing.

State law allows residents to challenge the rights of candidates to appear on ballots based on if they are ineligible to hold the seat. Battle’s challenger, so

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