HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (WXYZ) — There's a new mayor-elect in Hamtramck after 37 untabulated votes were officially counted in October. Wednesday, the Wayne County Board of Canvassers voted to certify the updated election results.
Last month, the board was ordered by a judge to certify the results. While it was a unanimous vote of three to zero, the board's decision didn't come without hesitation.
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Lisa Capatina, the board vice chair, said during the meeting, “I am obligated by law to certify today, but I want the record to reflect that I do not agree with the decision under these circumstances.”
Capatina said, “I would have preferred to withhold certification until the appropriate investigative body had addressed the unresolved questions involving these ballots.”
The terms "messy" and "complicated" sum up the 2025 Hamtramck mayoral race.
You may remember 37 absentee ballots were found in the city clerk's office after election day and were never included in the final tally until last month.
Nabhi Ayad, Mayor Alharbi’s attorney, expressed his disappointment directly to the board.
“You guys indicated that it was going to be sent over to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office; they were gonna investigate. So, they were gonna conduct those investigations of the absentee ballots. Okay? We’re still waiting on it," Ayad said.
By counting the 37 ballots, Mahmood came out on top by 12 points. A judge also put to rest questions about Mahmood’s Hamtramck residency, ruling that the residency is valid.
His attorney, Mark Brewer, said it’s now time to move on.
“He is the mayor, and he’s going to be sworn in on Sunday," Brewer said.
“We’ve seen frivolous appeals from Alharbi. It wouldn’t surprise me if there are more, but the courts have been crystal clear: we’ve won at every level of the courts," he said.
Ayad countered, "What is next? We’re going to challenge another challenge within 48 hours, not only just for the 37 ballots as well as for all the absentee ballots which we originally challenged, as well as file another complaint in court.”
Mahmood declined an interview and said he didn't want to speak until Sunday's inauguration. However, he said every voter deserves to have their vote counted, and the people deserve a fair election process.
Alharbi's attorney said he hopes the emergency legal action he’s taking this week will stop Sunday’s inauguration from moving forward.
