In a recent court decision, candidates for mayor in Hamtramck, Muhith Mahmood and Adam Alharbi, faced issues regarding 37 ballots that were not counted in their election. A judge ruled that these ballots will not be included in the final vote count, confirming Alharbi’s narrow win in the mayoral race.
Judge Patricia Perez Fresard found that the Wayne County election board was right not to count the 37 ballots. She stated they did this to uphold voting rules after the city clerk did not follow necessary steps to keep votes secure. The city had originally ordered a review to resolve the matter, but no agreement could be reached, leading to a brief courtroom debate.
Mahmood’s attorney, Mark Brewer, argued that not counting these ballots would violate the rights of the voters who cast them. He emphasized that the court should protect every voter’s rights. In contrast, Alharbi’s lawyer, Nabih Ayad, insisted that counting the ballots would unfairly disadvantage other voters.
The issue stemmed from human error on election night when 37 absentee ballots were mistakenly left in their envelopes. Election officials found the ballots a few days later but discovered that some unauthorized city officials had accessed the ballots, breaking important safety rules. This led election officials to question whether the ballots should be counted.
As a result, Alharbi won the election by just six votes, which later changed to 11 votes after a recount revealed the correct count. Mahmood then took legal action to ensure these mismanaged ballots were counted, arguing it was their right as voters.
Following the judge’s decision, Brewer stated that he would appeal the ruling in the Michigan Court of Appeals and possibly to the Michigan Supreme Court. This situation is part of a larger pattern of election problems in Hamtramck, where city officials, including the Clerk, have faced scrutiny for mishandling ballots.
Additionally, there have been previous scandals involving city council members charged with forgery during past elections. These events have created a difficult environment for Hamtramck’s nearly 28,000 residents, leaving them with unanswered questions about election integrity and trust in their local officials.
